ALEXANDER HAMILTON 



NF.V I S-\V EEH A WK EN 



A LECTURE 

ON THE MILITARY CAREER 

OF 

ALEXANDER HAMILTON 

WITH ELABORATE NOTES ON THE IMPORTANT EVENTS OF HIS 

LIFE, AND FULL PARTICULARS OF THE 

HAMILTON-BURR DUEL 




-^^^ 



,6" 



JAMES EDWARD GRAYBILL 

II 

New York 
1897 



Copyright, 1897, by James lid ward Gray bill. 



Press of Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford Co., Albany and New York. 



ALEXANDER HAMILTON. 

A Lecture Delivered Ilefore Alexander Hamilton Post, G. A. R., on 
Tliursday, May 17, 1894. 



By James Edward Graybill. 



Commander. Lndios and Gentlemen: 

Every author prefixes his liook witli an apology, or a dedication, and I 
will begin my lecture with an explanation of the causes that led to its 
preparation and the motives that prompted it. 

The many generous and warm welcomes which I have received at (he 
hands of Alexander Hamilton Post placed me under an obligation which I 
was desirous, in some way, of reciprocating, and I felt that I could do so in 
no more appropriate manner than by preparing and delivering a lecture, 
talving for my subject the man after whom the Post is named. The plan 
once conceived, I began my investigations, but soon ascertained how incom- 
petent I was for the task assumed, and Avhat an undertaking I had before 
me in preparing something worthy of your attention. 

On the very threshold of my labors I was met with serious ditticnlties: 
First, I was a Democrat, and Icnew that Hamilton was the founder of a 
political organization with wliich I was not in sympathy; second. I was a 
Southerner, imbued with the doctrine of State Riglits, which I had been 
taught from boyhood was the most vital and essential principle of our 
government: Hamilton was the known advocate of a strong centralized 
national government. Furthermore, what I knew of Hamilton I had 
glea:ned from the study of the life of Aaron Burr, whom I had regarded with 
all the reverence and veneration that tlie youthful mind bestows upon a 
brilliant, brave and chivalric person, such as he Jiad been pictured to me. 
I had eagerly sought and read everything that in any way related to Aaron 
Burr, and remember once, while a student in Germany, searching the great 
libraries of Europe for a little book, the " Memoirs of Mrs. Coghlan, nee 
Moncrieffe," which was merely mentioned in a foot note in one of his 
biographies. Tliere were traits in Burr's character which greatly pleased 
and impressed me. One was his great affection for and devotion to his 
daughter Theodosla, than which nothing could be more beautiful; the other, 
his conduct when wrongfully accused by General Washington of reading 
over his shoulder. It is told that Washington was reading a letter while 



6 

Hiirr was .sliimliii^' iir.-ir; tLiiilciiiK lli.'it I'.urr was iiotiiif^ its coiitoiits, lie 
tiini<-(l iiiMiii liiiii siiddi'iily, iiinl, in a sti-ru and severe manner, reiuaiiied, 
" How dare Colonel Hnrr read over my shoulder?" Unrr, indJKnant at the 
unmerited reliuUe. ([nicUly replied, hxtkiiiK tlie (Jeneral s(iuarely in the eye, 
" Colomd Hurr titircs do anything." I liavo always admired c()uraj;e lu 
men, and this episode made me look upon Hurr as a veritable hero. 

l'"roni these early impressions it was but natural for nie to entertain 
prejudices aj^ainst (Jeneral Hamilton wliich, I am now pleased to saj', have 
been altogether removed by a careful stu<ly of liis life, character and works. 
Who can read his life without reverinj^ his memory? Who can contemplate 
his patriotic devotion to our country without a feeling of gratitude for the 
Bervices he rendered as soldier, jurist and statesTuau? 

My Avork has been one of both pleasure and profit. A pleasure In ren- 
dering a service to you, gentlemen of the Post; and a profit, in removing a 
groundless i>rejudice against one of the most brilliant and noble characters 
In our country's history.* 

LITERATURE. 

It may be well, at this time, to refer you to the literature on Hamilton. 
First, is the eight-volume edition of Cabot liOdge and the seven-volume 
edition of John C. Hamilton, both now rarely to be found; then his life, In 
two volumes, by John C. Hamilton, and a later and exceedingly interesting 
one in two volumes by John T. Morse; and the following one-volume series, 
viz., by Cabot Lodge, Samuel M. Schmucker, Renwick, Reitmuller and 
George Shea; also the Hamilton Pajjcrs, by Hawks. For details of the duel, 
reference may be had to Coleman's Collections, a volume printed in 1804; 
Volume 10 of the Historical Magazine, 1806, and Volume 4 of Gay's Poi^ular 
History of the United States. In regard to the place of his birth (the island 
of Nevis), see Bryan Edwards' History of the West Indies, volume 1, page 
472. Further valuable information may be found in Bancroft's History of 
America; Brice's American Commonwealth; Tlie Narrative and Critical 
History of America; Laboulaye's Histoire des Etas-Uuis, and Curtis' His- 
tory of the United States Constitution. They all contain important and in- 
teresting allusions to Hamilton. For a short and concise review of his life 
and works, reference might be had to the American Encyclopaedia. 

THE MAN. 
Hamilton was a man of small stature, about five feet si.x, and weighing 
about 130 pounds. His head was large, Avith deep-set, piercing, bluish- 
gray eyes, and an aquiline nose. His mouth and chin were indicative of 
a kind and gentle disposition. He had an oval face, high forehead and 
ruddy complexion, light hair, combed back and gathered in a queue, and wore 
no beard. He had a strong Scottish cast of features, was erect in his gait, 
courteous in his manner and highly esteemed by those with whom he was 
thrown in contact. He was possessed of great personal magnetism, which, 

(♦Note 1, p. 35.) 



with his great learniug, enabled him to sway the minds of men and impress 
his ideas of publio policy upon the leading men of his time. 

James KeuAvick, in his " I-iife of Hamilton " (pp. 337-341), thus describes 
him: 

" His motions were graceful, and the tones of his voice agreeable In 
the highest degree. To tliese natural requisities he added high powers of 
argument, readiness of expression and simple elegance of thouglit and 
diction. He thus, as an orator, is said to have been pre-eminent even in a 
country so prolific in public speakers. Whether at the bar or in the 
deliberative assembly, he was equally distinguished for his commanding 
eloquence. Ambitious to no little degree, he sought no offices of honor and 
emolument, nor woidd he have accepted them except as opportunities of 
being useful to his country. He looked for his recompense in the con- 
eideration of the virtuous and patriotic of his fellow-citizens, or the nioro 
sure gratitude of posterity, not in wealth or the pride of elevated rank. 
With such disinterested views, each call to the public service involved him 
in pecuniary loss, and he gi'adually contracted a debt of considerable 
amount, which remained unpaid at his decease. His appointment as 
Inspector-General in the Provisional Army interrupted the growth of a 
lucrative professional business, and, at the same time, dciirived him of the 
means of meeting the interest on large purchases of land which he had 
entered into, in full confidence that his labours as a legal man would 
enable him to hold it. To prevent the absolute sacrifice of his landed 
property, his friends and admirers united after his death in a subscription, 
by which his debts were paid, and the proceeds of the estate finally reim- 
bursed their advances, but left little or no surplus to his family. 

"Hamilton's views of government and national policy were founded on the 
classic authors of Greece and Rome, and the works of the great men who 
maintained in England a struggle against the royal prerogative. To this 
he added an intimate knowledge of that unwritten code which probably 
took its birth in the fastnesses of Caucasus, and acquired its first strength 
in the forests and marshes of Germany, whence, by our Anglo-Saxon 
ancestors, it was brought into Britain. He found this in our own country, 
stripped of the feudal features with which the Norman contiuorors had 
defaced it, and, with the greater part of the actors in the Revolution, 
sought no more than the maintenance of privileges already existing as a 
birthright. To these privileges, comprising the safety of life, liberty and 
property, he considered every citizen to have a right, unless deprived of 
them as a punishment for crime, and independently of the will of his fel- 
lows, whether they constituted a majority or not. A knowledge of tlie 
republics of antiquity had shown him that, in the absence of such a safe- 
guard, no tyranny was ever more oppressive than that exercised in the 
name of the people. Hence he set his face against the principles imported 
from France at the breaking out of her revolution, believing that if they 
became the settled policy of the government they would be subversive of 
Individual rights and personal liberty. 



8 

" Willi thi'sc views, lie looi^cd iipuii tlif I'.rilish coiistilnt imi :is tlic iiuhlcst 
ninmiiiiciit <»r Imninii wisddiir. mikI while lie (\U\ not (h-lfiKl its corruptions, 
nor iiroiHisc its iiion;ii-clii:il and ai-istocratic features for imitation, he fon- 
sidered it as a model alter which a peniianeiill.v fi'ee goverunu-nl ini;.'ht 
best be formed. Those, who. with I he i'reuch (U'mocrats. maintained Iho 
unlimited soven'i>:nt.v of the nia.joril.v. have found room for a((Usiii.ir him 
of beiufi in favour of rej.'al power. an<l of wishinjr to engraft a House of 
Lords ou our institutions. With liow little reason this accusation was made 
has already been exliibited. 

"In tlie political s(ruj.'.t,des wiiicli succeeded his death, the party wiiicli was 
opi)osed to him triumphed: but that very triumph has sliowii liow deeply- 
seated were the iniiiciples maintained by Hamilton in the lu-arts. if not in 
the judgment, of the American people. However loud may have Ix'cn the 
toni' in whicli an oiJiiosiuj;- theory lias been proclaimed, the practice of the 
jioverument has been, in almost all resiu-cts. such as Hamilton would have 
himself directed. The public faith has l)een maintained inviolate to the 
national creditor: llu- executive has acted upon and avowed its responsi- 
bility; the independence of tlie judiciary, if threatened, has never be<-n 
directly assailed: tlie supremacy of the general government has been 
asserted in a proclamation worthy of Hamilton's own genius; an ellicient 
army has been maintained in time of peace, and applied to curb a generous 
but mlstalcen syiiipatliy; a navy has become the favourite institution of the 
country; and, except in a single local instance, the natural rights of indi- 
viduals have been held sacred. 

"Among his great measures, a National Banlv was adopted l)y the suc- 
cessful party; and if, by the errors of its management and the multii)licity 
of state institutions, it has become unpopular, the wisdom of his course, 
and its consistency with the letter of the Constitution, has been established 
by judicial decisions and legislative enactments. The policy in relation 
to manufactures, which he failed in carrying, has since been for a time 
adopted; but, although again abandoned, the judgment of the public 
appears to be ra])idly resuming a sound tone in this respect, when the 
cotton-growers of the South shall see that the spinners and Aveavers of the 
North are inseiiarably connected with them by the ties of a common 
intei'est. 

"When the angry feelings excited by the long struggle between tlie 
Federal and Republican parties shall have cooled, and all the actors in 
those stirring .scenes shall have retired from the stage, it reipiires little 
prescience to predict that Hamilton will assume, by general consent, the 
first place among American statesmen, and will be held, in the estimati' of 
his patriotic services, as second to Washington alone." 

There are two fine jiortraits of Hamilton in this city — one. by Tniinbull. 
in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce, and the other, by Weimer ilater 
also attributed to Trumbull), in the (Governor's Room of the City Hall. 
Although both are alleged to have been painted by the same artist, and 
at about the same time, there is ab.solutely no resemblance between them. 



I prefer the one in the City Hall, as it conies nearer/ to my idea of how 
Hamilton should look. It is a tine stndy, in which his\(iniet dinnity. intel- 
lectual hearing;- and nenial nature are all prominently and conspicuously 

brouffht ont. 

NATIVITY. __- 

General Hamilton was born on January 11. 17.")7. on the island of Nevis, 
amidst llie lieauties of an eternal s])rin,y. beneath a sky serene and un- 
clouded, wliere fruits and liowers, witli their exquisite fra,u:rance and 
wealth of color, lend a charm to the varit-d prospects that make this spot 
inexpressibly beautiful. 

Nevis is about the shape and half the size of our Staten Ishmd — has a 
population of some 10.000 or 12,000 — one town, Cbarlestown, the seat of 
government and port of entry. Some two miles off lies St. Christopher 
Island, with four towns and a population of 30,000, and nearby are the 
islands of St. Enstatiiis and Santa Cruz. 

Whether Hamilton was born in the town of Cbarlestown or in some 
handet of the island is not known. His father, .John" Hamilton, was a 
Scotch merchant, and very probably was conducting his business in town 
at the time of Alexander's liirth. .-ilthough all accounts state that he was a 
resident of St. Christopher Island, where he met and married Mrs. Lavine. 
a French Huguenot, and the divorced wife of a wealthy Danish physician. 
No mention is made of his residence on the island of Nevis; in fact, we 
seldom find any allusion to the names of the towns on the various islands 
of Nevis, St. Christopher and Santa Cruz (Saiute Croix), although Nevis 
has one town and several hamlets — St. Christopher four towns and Santa 
Cruz two. This fact has occasioned much doubt and uncertainty regard- 
ing the early life of Hamilton. 

John T. Morse, in his Life of Hamilton, commenting on the peculiar quali- 
ties of his mind and character, says: 

" It would be interesting speculation to inquire how far they were due 
to this intermingling of the blood of two widely different races (Scotch and 
French Huguenot), and to the superadded effect of his tropical birthplace. 
It seems possible, without becoming over fanciful, to trace quite clearly 
these diverse and powerful threads of influence. Thus there are to be 
plainly noted in him many of the most marked and familiar traits of the 
genuine Scot. He manifested, in a rare degree, the shrewdness, the 
logical habit Of mind and the taste for discussion, based upon abstract 
and general principles, with which the Waverly Novels have made us 
familiar, as distinguishing aptitudes of the Scottish intellect. If his mental 
traits were Scotch, his moral traits carry us back to his French and Hugue- 
not ancestry. He had the ease of manner, the liveliness and vivacity, the 
desire and the ability to please, which the French claim as their especial 
heritage. He evinced the firm moral courage, the persistence In noble 
generous endeavor, the power of self sacrifice, and the elements of a grand 
heroism, which nnglit be expected in the descendant from one of the high- 
spirited IM-otestant exiles of France, a band of men the exanqile of whose 
courage and resolution it would be difficult to find surpassed in the pages 



10 

ol' liisloiy. His w.'inii I'Miccr tcinpri;! iiiciii , Ills wlmlc-soiilcd cut liusi;isiii, 
and his anfclioiialf iiatnrc, may iicrcliaiicc liavc liccii due in a iiu-asure 
to tlic iiilliiciict' ol' the rcrvid and liixuriniit <liiiiat(' whit-li his i»an'Uts had 
aihiiilcd MS their lioiiic, and where he. hiiiiself, was lioni and passed the 
suseei)lilih' years uf hoyliuod. So many raie and various qualities were 
united in Hamilton, so wonderful is the taie of liis mature youth, so inter- 
estiiif,' and attraetive is his career, that one ran not but ask witli more 
than ordinary curiosity, whence came these unwonted and remarkable 
traits? Speculation becoming; thus aroused, turns naturally to comtem- 
plate his parentage and liis birtljplace with iteculiar care." 

The death of liis mother and his lather's railine in business h'ft young 
Hamilton at tlie age of four years, dependent on his mother's relatives, 
and he was taken to Santa Cruz and cared for by Mr. Teter Lytton, and 
his sister, Mrs. Mitdiell, wliere he learned tlie rudiments of liis education, 
embracing tlie lOnglisli and French language, of both of which he subse- 
quently became a master. He was a lover of books, and devoted himself 
to miscellaneous n-ading, in which he was materially assisted by Dr. 
Knox, a I'resbyterian divine, who took an unusually deep interest in his 
welfare, and whose conversations revealed to him new and varied fields 
of thought and speculation, and gave him, as it were, " a glimpse of those 
polemic controversies which subsequently called forth the highest efforts 
of his intellect." 

When twelve years of age he was apprenticed to Mr. Nicholas f'ruger, of 
Santa Cruz, who had a branch establishment in New York, and at one 
time was president of the Chamber of Commerce of that city. Here on 
November 11, 17G9, he Avrote the uoav celebrated letter to his friend Ned — 
Mr. Edward Stevens, in New York — in which occurs the following: 

" I contemn the grovelling condition of a clerk, or the like, to which my 
fortune condemns me, and Avould willingly risk my life, though not my 
character, to exalt my station. I am contident, Ned, that my youth ex- 
cludes me from any hopes of immediate preferment, nor do I desire it; but 
I mean to prepare the Avay for futurity. I'm no philosopher, you see, and 
may be justly said to build castles in the air; my folly makes me ashamed, 
and beg you'll conceal it; yet, Neddy, we have seen such schemes success- 
ful, when the projector is constant. I shall conclude by saying, I wish 
there was a war." 

It is related of young Hamilton that by his close attention to his duties, 
while in the employ of Mi'. Cruger, he manifested such proficiency that 
his employer left him, at the age of 13 years, in full charge and control 
of his extensive Ijusiness at Santa Cruz, while he made an extended trip 
to foreign parts. During the day his time was taken up with the cares 
of business, but his evenings were devoted to reading and the study of 
mathematics, chemistry and history. He did not neglect miscellaneous 
reading, and Pope and Plutarch were his favorite authors, and occasion- 
ally he indulged in composition. On one occasion a terrific hurricane 
visited the islands, and a description of its fury and devastating effects, 



11 

written by him aud publisliod in one of tlie St. Cliristoplier papers, attracted 
so mufli tallc and coninient tliat it readied tlie governor of the island, 
upon wlioui it made sut-li an impression that he resolved on ferreting out 
the autlior, and wlicn he found it was the young counting-house apprentice 
he sent for him, and, on learning his condition and desire, and satisfied of 
his abilities, he, in conjunction with Dr. Knox, Mr. Cruger and others, 
arranged to send him to Ncav York, to be educated, for up to this time he 
had received only the most commonplace instruction, supplemented by his 
own reading and study. 

Thus his " way to futurity " was prepared. It led from a hurricane in the 
south to greater storms and more stirring events in the distant north. Poor 
boy, it Avas never his good fortune to find a haven of rest and quiet; his 
life was one continuous battle with fate — a nevereuding struggle. The 
half orphan at four, was left to contend with poverty; at twelve he had to 
deal with men of business — shrewd and experienced; at thirteen he 
encountered the St. Eustatius hurricane; at fifteen fire on board ship at 
.sea on his way to Boston; at sixteen, the stern rules of Princeton that pre- 
vented his admission; at seventeen, the oppressive laws of England, that 
threatened his personal liberty; at nineteen, the British invaders under 
Howe and Cornwallis on Long Island, folloAved by seven years of war, and 
twenty-one years of bitter and continuous political agitations. 

Hardly had he arrived in tlie States before the threatening clouds of war 
began to appear. Public affairs began to interest him and he became a 
close student of passing events. The stamp act had been passed and re- 
pealed; McDougal had been arrested and impi'isoned for protesting in 
the name of outraged liberty against the acts of usurpation of the British 
Government; citizens had been shot down like dogs in the streets of Bos- 
ton, and the Port of Boston had been closed by act of parliament; the 
people were aroused, a great meeting had been called in the Fields* to 
elect delegates to a congress of the colonists to consider measures of self 
defense; the martyr McDougal Avas selected to act as chairman. Hamilton 
as he walked l^eneath the trees of Old Batteau-j- street, on his way to college, 
thought of the outrages perpetrated in the name of " Omnipotent Parlia- 
ment;" the waves of turbulent opinion dashed about him — he was resolved 
to make common cause with the advocates of civil liberty against the en- 
croachments of the British Ministry. He attended the great gathering 
in the fields aud listeiied to tlie words of the noted speakers who addressed 
the meeting. He was impressed witli what they said, more impressed 
with what they left unsaid, and boy, as he was, inspired with the love of 
civil liberty, he felt it his duty to call attention to that wliich lie thought 
was necessary for the multitude to know. He stepped to the front, gather- 
ing courage as he rose, and began to address the crowd. It was the 
supreme moment of his life, his soul was overflowing and his heart was 
on his tongue. It was a daring experiment — he faltered; his hearers 



•Now City Hah Park. 

tNow Dey street. 



12 

syiiip;itlii/,('(l with his (•iiilnii'r.'issniciil mikI ciicinini.ucd him to jxo (in. II<' 
scinii iccovt'i'cd liis coiiiiiosni'i' .•iiid ch-clrilicd his imdii'iHc \>y liis rl(M|iicii(i' 
.iiiil hi.uic. 'I'lir liti.v W.MS :i man. a ;;iant anutni,' men, a h'a(h'i- nl' men. 'I'hc 
litth' nnkiiKWii Wrsi Indian school Ixiy was transformed intd tiic brilliant 
advocate of colonial autonomy. His reputation was estaldished and it was 
an easy task to make himself the oracle of Hritish oi»i»osition. 

Oil December 1'). 1774. when only seventeen years of age, lie published 
his first important document in rei)ly to certain i)ami)hlets. criticising the 
action of the Continental Congress, which he entitled " A I'ull Vindication 
of the Measures of Congress from the Calumnies of their Enemies, in 
answer to a lettei- under the signature of A. W. Farmer: wherelty his 
sopliistry is exposed, liis c.-ivils confuted, his artifices detected, and his Avit 
ridiculed, in a general address to tlie iidiabitants of America, and a ])articu- 
lar address to the fai'mers of the Province of New York. By a Sincere 
Fi-iend to America." In this he uses the following language: 

"The (Westchester) Farmer cries 'Tell me not of delegates, congresses, 
committees, mobs, riots, insurrections ;nid .Mssociations — a plague on them 
alll (Jive me the steady, uniform, unbiased intluence of the courts of jus- 
tice. I have been happy under their protection, I shall be so again.' 

" 1 say, tell me not of the British commons, lords, ministr.v, ministerial 
tools, placemen, pensioners, parasites. I scorn to let my life and property 
depend upon the pleasure of any of them. (Jive me the steady, uniform, 
unshaken security of constitutional freedom. (Jive me the right of trial by 
a .iury of my own neighbours, and to be taxed by my own representatives 
only. AVhat will become of the law and courts of .iustice without this? The 
shadow may remain, but the substance will be gone. I would die to pre- 
serve the law upon a solid foundation: l)ut take away liberty, and the 
foundation is (h'stroyed. 

" When the first i)rinciples of civil society are violated, and the rights of 
a whole people are invaded, the common forms of municipal law are not 
to be regarded. Men may then betake themselves to the law of nature; 
and if they lint conform their actions to that standard, all cavils against 
them betray either ignorance or dishonesty. There are some events in 
society to wliich liuman laws can not extend: l)Ut wlien applied to tliem. 
lose all their force and efficacy. In short, when human laws contradict 
or (bscountenance the means whicli are necessary to preserve the essential 
rights of any socit'ty. they defeat the pi'oiter end of all laws, and so become 
null and void. 

:^ :': ;i: :}; :}c ^: ;|; ^ ^ H^ 

" Let it l)e remendiered tliat there are no large plains for the two armies 
to meet in and decide the contest by some decisive stroke, where any ad- 
vantage .uained liy eitlier side must be prosecuted, till a complete A'ictoiy is 
obtained. The circumstances of our country put it in our power to evade a 
pitched battle. It will be better itolicy to harass and exhaust the soldiery 
by fre(pient skirmishes and incursions, tliaii to take the open field witli 



13 

tliciii, by which means they would have the full benefit of their superior 
i-e.yularity and skill. Amerieans are better qualified for that kind of figlit- 
in.i;-, Avhich is most adapted to the country, than regular troops; should the 
sohliery advance into tlie country, as they would be obliged to do, if they 
had any inclination to subdue us, their discipline woidd be of little use to 
tlieni. Whatever may be said of the disciplined troops of Britain, the event 
of the contest must be extremely doubtful. There is a certain enthusiasm 
in lil)erty, that makes human nature rise above itself in acts of bravery 
and lieroism. 

" With respect to cotton, you do not pretend to deny that a sufficient 
quantity of that may be produced. Several of the southern colonies are so 
favourable to it, that, with due cultivation, in a couple of years they would 
afford enough to clothe the whole continent. As to the expense of briugiuj„ 
it by land, the best way will be to manufacture it where it grows, and after- 
ward transport it to the other colonies. Upon this plan, I apprehend, the 
expense would not be greater than to build and equip large ships to import 
tlie manufactures of Great Britain from thence. If we were to turn our 
attention from external to internal commerce, we would give greater sta- 
bility and more lasting prosperity to our country than she can possibly 
have otherwise. We should not then import the vices and luxuries of 
foreign climes, nor should we make hasty strides to public corruption and 
depravity. 

" The most that can be expected from France, Spain and Holland is, 
that they would refrain from an open rupture with Great Britain. They 
would undoubtedly take every clandestine method to introduce among us 
supplies of those things which we stood in need of, to cari'y on the dispute. 
They would not neglect anything in their power to make the opposition on 
our part as vigorous and obstinate as our affairs would admit of. But it 
seems to me a mark of great credulity to believe, upon the strength of their 
assurance, that France and Spain woiild not take a still more interesting 
part in the affair. The disjunction of these colonies from Britain, and the 
acquisition of a free trade with them, are objects of too inviting a complex- 
ion to suffer those kingdoms to remain idle spectators of the contention. 
If they found us inclined to throw ourselves upon their protection, they 
would eagerly embrace the opportunity to weaken their antagonist, and 
strengthen themselves. Superadded to these general and prevailing in- 
ducements, there are others of a more particular nature. They would feel 
no small inconvenience in the loss of those supplies they annually get from 
us, and their islands would be in the greatest distress for the want of our 
trade. From these reflections it is more than probable, that America is 
able to support its freedom, even by the force of arms, if she be not be- 
trayed by her own sons." 

In commenting upon the above, his biographer states that the articles 
were attributed to Governor Livingston and John Jay, and resulted in 
Hamilton being styled " The Vindicator of Congress." 



14 

"When the vigor .•iiid ti-rsoncssof stylo, tlio niassof information, the close- 
ness of reasoning', tlic li.iiip.v <'xi)o.sition of tlic wcali points of liis antafio- 
nist, tlu" cloai' iM-rci-p' i«)ii of liio in-inciiilfs of itolitical lilicrty wliicli tlie 
Anieri<'an revolution lias rondcrod f:i miliar, and cliicHy tlic compndK'nsive 
and jtroplictic view wiiicli is talcon of tlio great questions then discussed, 
and wliicii involved not less tiie destinies of the British empire, than of 
all others, aie cuiisidered, these i)aniphlets will be admitted to pos.sess 
merits of wliicii liie most practiced st;itesman might be i)rond, and when 
regarded as tlie jiroductions of such a youth, are nnrivalled." 

On .January 1. 177."., the (Quebec l)ill went into effect, restoring the French 
laws which had given idnce to the milder intiuenee of the English laws 
Avhen Canada fell under tlie dominion of Hritain, assuring to all pensons 
settling in Canada the full enjoyment of the rights of British subjects. 
The bill reserved to the executive authority of the provinces the power of 
altering the laws at pleasure, and guaranteed to the people the free exer- 
cise of the Roman Catholic religion, declaring the clergy of tliiit clinrch 
entitled to hold and enjoy their accustomed views and rights. 

Hamilton, in his " Kemarks," (.Tune 15, 1775) commented on the arbi- 
trary character of the bill, which made the laws of the province subject 
to the discretion of the governing prince and gave him otherwise extraor- 
dinary and dangerous powers, such as creating courts of laAv, criminal, 
civil and ecclesiastical, appointing judges whose commissions were revok- 
able at his pleas\ire. and the making of trial by jury dependent on the will 
of the provisional legislature, and argued clearly that the act placed the 
Catholic religion on the footing of a Regular Establishment in the prov- 
inces, leaving the Protestants destitute and unbefriended. He regarded the 
bill as a. direct menace to the liberties and rights of the Aiuerican colonies 
and he severely denounced it as a dangerous precedent. 

On August 14, 1776, he was appointed Captain of The Provincial Com- 
pany of Ai-tillery, upon the recommen<lation of Colonel Alexander Mc- 
Dougal, who had presided at the meeting in the Fields, and who had been 
arrested in December, 1760, for publishing an article entitled " A Son of 
Liberty to the Betrayed Inhal)itants of the Colony of New York," and 
when arrested therefor, declared " I rejoice that I am the first sufferer for 
liberty since the commencement of our glorious struggle," and who from 
his prison poured forth continual appeals to the people, teeming with 
scornful reproaches of his oppressors, and the boldest avowals of revolu- 
tionary sentiments, and who was visited in his prison by the ladies and 
gentlemen of the highest standing and influence in the city. 

His first duty was the guarding of the records of the colony, then stored 
in the Bayard House, in which he subsequently died, after receiving his 
fatal wound in his duel with Burr. 

He recruited his company out of tlie last moneys received from Santa 
Criiz, and devoted his energy to its perfection in drill. His zeal and 
diligence soon made it conspicuous for its appearance and the regularity 
of its movements. 



15 

His first lieuteuaut, having been transferred to anotlier command, he 
advocated and secured tlie promotion of liis orderly sergeant to the posi- 
tion made vacant by the transfer as " an animating exampU^ to all men of 
merit to whoso knowledge it comes." The name of tliis individual was 
Tliomson. frequently referred to as the " Bombardier." and subsequently 
promoted to captain, and fell at the Battle of Springfield, at the head of his 
men. after gallantly repulsing a desperate charge of the enemy. 

Hamilton, while discharging his military duties, did not neglect his 
studies. His military books were full of annotations relating to politics 
and war, trade and commerce, value of products, balance of trade, pro- 
gress of population and the value of a circulating medium, thus showing 
his train of thought, and laying the foundation for his subsequent brilliant 
services to his country. 

On August 27, ITTO. tlie Battle of Long Island was fought between Put- 
nam and Howe, mainly on the ground now occupied by Greenwood Ceme- 
tery. 

In this battle Hamilton was in the thick of the fight and lost his bag- 
gage and a field piece. It was an unfortunate engagement, and the 
Americans being outflanked by the enemy were compelled to retreat 
across the East river into the city of New York. Such a retreat was full 
of danger, but under the masterly guidance of Washington it was succes- 
ful, and in its success Hamilton played a conspicuous part. To him was 
assigned the duty of covering and protecting the rear of the army, and he 
Avas one of the last to cross the stream. It was his first experience in war 
which, as a boy, he had so longed for, and it is well that Long Island was 
at the time covered by n dense fog. thus concealing the movements of the 
Americans, for had the British known of this retreat, the position held by 
Hamilton Avould have been fraught with such dangers as would probably 
have cut short, not only his great career, but that of the struggling 
colonies. 

On September 14 and 15, ITTO. the Battle of Harlem Heights was fought, 
New York city having been evacuated, the American forces were with- 
drawn to the upper portion of the island, known as Washington Heights, 
including the upper portion of Central Park. It was while throwing up 
works in what is now Central Park, near McGowan's Pass Tavern, that 
Washington first met Hamilton, being attracted by the skillful and ener- 
getic manner in Avliich he was performing his duties. He entered into a 
conversation Avith him, and was so struck by his intelligent conversation 
that he invited him to his tent. 

On October 28, 1776, Washington, after having evacuated Manhattan 
Island, with the exception of Fort Washington, Avhich had been left under 
tlie charge of General Greene, had concentrated his forces on the hills 
around White Plains, thus foiling the attempt of General Howe to turn his 
rear, cut off his supplies and capture his entire army. White Plains Avas a 
draAvn battle, in Avhich Howe failed to take advantage of his opportunities 
but it enabled Hamilton, on Chatterton Hill, to display his ability and cour- 



IG 

.•ijrc in rcsisliiifr fli;ir;.'(' .Ml'tcr (•liar;:(' of the ciiciny, Avho were intciil uikhi its 
f;ilit\ir»> ill (irdci- In turn tin- iii;li( wiiii: of WMsliinirlon's army. 

(Ill tlic n-trcat across llir Iliidsoii and into Nrw Jersey and especially at 
New liriinswiek. llamiltoii rendered elleetive servici". At the latter plaee 
the rear of the Anierican army had scarcely crossed the Karitan when the 
advance of the Itritish. under Cornwallis. ajipeared. 'I'lie bridjre across tho 
river had hccii destroyed, and knowing that the stream was fordalilc, 
Hamilton had i)lanted his litdd iiieces on an eminence commanding the 
river, and by a spirited cannonado aichnl in checking the progress of tho 
British, and enabled Washington to continue his march to Princetou. His 
company was a model of discipline, and the little bojish cajitain was a 
subject of wonder and surprise as he marched at its head, the more so 
when it was le.-iriied that the diniimitive captain was the Hamilton of 
whom the patriots had heard so nuicli. 

After taking jiart in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, on M.irdi 1. 
1777. at the age of twenty, he was appointed Aide-de-Camp to Ceneral 
Washington, with a rank of lieutenant-colonel. 

Commenting on Burgoyue and Howe and the evacuation of Philadelphia. 
Hamilton, in a letter written to a friend on July 22, 1777. states: 

"I am doubtful whether Hurgoyne will attempt to penetrate far, and 
whether he will not content himself with harassing our back settlements 
by parties, assisted by the savages, who, it is to be feared, will pretty gen- 
erally be tempted by the enemy's late successes, to confederate in hostili- 
ties against us. 

" This doul)t arises from some appearances that indicate a southern move- 
ment of (ieneral Howe's army, which if it slioiild really happen, will cer- 
tainly be a barrier against any further impressions of Burgoyne; for it 
fiiu not be supposed that he would be rash enough to plunge into tlie bosom 
of the country, without an expectation of being met by General Howe. 
Things must prove very adverse to us indeed, sliould he make such an at- 
tempt and not be ruined by it. I confess, however, tliat the appearances 
I allude to do not carry a full evidence in my mind; because I can not con- 
ceive upon what principle of common sense or military propriet.v Howe 
can be running away from Burgoyne to the southward. 

" It is much to be wished he may. even though it should give him the 
possession of I'hiladelpliia. wliich. by our remoteness from it may very 
well happen. In this case we may not only retaliate by aiming a stroke at 
New York, but we may come upon him with the greatest part of our col- 
lective force, to act against that part which is under him. We shall then 
be certain that Burgoyne can not proceed, and that a small force of Con- 
tinental troops will be sufficient for that partisan war which he must 
carry on the rest of the campaign, and to garrison the posts in the High- 
lauds; so that we shall be able to bring nearly the whole of the Continental 
Army against Howe. The advantages of this are obvious. Should he be 
satisfied with the splendor of his acquisition, and shut himself up in Phila- 
delphia, we can ruin him by confinement. Should he leave a garrison there, 



17 

and go forward, we can either fall upon that or his main body, dimiuished 
as it will be by such a measure, with our whole force. There will, however, 
be many disagreeable consequences attending such an event; amongst 
which, the foremost is the depreciation of our currency, which, from the 
importance in which Philadelphia is held, can not fail to ensue." 
********** 

In a letter written to his friend. Dr. Knox, on the fall of Ticonderoga, 
he states: 

" One good effect will result from the misfortune, which is, that it will 
stimulate the Eastern States to greater exertions than they might other- 
wise make. 

" The consequences of this northern affair will depend much upon the 
part that Howe acts. If he were to co-operate with Burgoyne, it would 
demand our utmost efforts to counteract them. But if lie should go toward 
the southward, all, or most of the advantages of Burgoyne's success will 
be lost. He will either be obliged to content himself Avith the possession 
of Ticonderoga, and the dependent fortresses, and with carrying on a parti- 
san war the rest of the campaign, or he must precipitate himself into cer- 
tain ruin by attempting to advance in the country with a very incompetent 
force. Appearances lead us to suppose that Howe is fool enough to medi- 
tate the southern expedition, for he has now altered his station at Staten 
Island and fallen down to the hook. If they go southward in earnest they 
must have the capture of Philadelphia in view, for there is no other suffi- 
cient inducement. I would not have you to be much surprised if Philadel- 
phia should fall; for the enemy will doubtless go there with a determina- 
tion to succeed at all hazard, and we shall not be able to prevent them 
without risking a general action, the. expediency of which will depend upon 
circumstances. 

" It may be asked, if to avoid a general engagement we give up objects 
of the first importance, what is to hinder the enemy from carrying every 
important point and ruining us? My answer is, that our hopes are not 
placed in any particular city or spot of ground, but in the preserving of a 
good army, furnished with proper necessaries to take advantage of favor- 
able opportunities, and waste and defeat the enemy by piecemeal. Every 
new post they take requires a new division of their forces, and enables us 
to strike with our united force against a part of theirs; and such is their 
present situation, that another Trenton affair will amount to a complete 
victory on our part, for they are at too low an ebb to bear another stroke 
of that kind." 

At the Council of War, called by General Washington, to consider the 
course to be adopted in view of the evacuation of Philadelphia, it was de- 
termined by a majority of its members to avoid a general engagement, in 
opposition to the opinion of Greene, Wayne and Cadwallader, the pre- 
ponderating Aveight of General Lee leading to that conclusion. 
2 



18 

Ilainilton, in ;i onloRiiiin siil)sc'q\iontl.v pronoiiiiccd uiton Gonoral Oreone, 
expressed liimscir in reference lo tliis delerniinnlien of the Council as 
follows: 

"I forbc.'ir to lilt ilic \ril Irdiii olT iliosc iiiiiiolciit cDinicils. whirh by n 
forniiil vote li:id dcci'ccd ;in luxlisl iniicd |i;issaj;i' to an enemy relirinK from 
the fairest fruits of Ids victories, to seek an asylum from imi)endinj; danger, 
disheartened by retreat, dispirited Ity desertion, broken l)y fatigue — re- 
treatinj; through woods, deliles. and morasses, in which his discipline was 
useless, in tlie face of an army sujierior in nund>ers, elated by ]»ui*snit, and 
ardent to siun.-iii/.e llieir coni'a.i;e. "I'is enonuli fm- Ilie liononr of Cireene to 
say, that he left nothins;- nnessa.ved to avert and to frustrate so dejiradinj^ a 
resolution; and it was happy for America, that the man whose reputation 
could not be wounded without wounding tlie cause of his country, had the 
noble fortitude to rescue himself and the army he commanded from the 
disgrace with wliich they wore both meuaced, by the characteristic Im- 
becility of a council of war." 

/ It is a strange incident in Wasliington's career tliat Immediately pre- 
ceding tlie commencement of hostilities, two men were his guests at Mount 
Vernon who subsequently played conspicuous i-oles in the struggles that 
ensued, resulting in their rapid promotion and unbounded popularity with 
the soldiers and citizens of tlie colonies. These men were Horatio Gates 
and ChaA'les Lee, botli sliilled in the arts of Avar, of great experience, bril- 
liant parts, ambitious yet adventurous; full of bitter resentment against 
England, in whose armies they had served without the promotion to which 
they deemed their merits entitled them; they were both trusted and 
advanced by Wasliington — the one being placed in command of the Army 
of the North, the otlier of tlie Soutli, and their brilliant successes resulted 
iu the downfall of Burgo.yue and tlie evacuation of tlie Soutlieru States by 
the British. 

The disappointment of General Lee manifested itself in liis reluctance iu 
obeying the orders of his commander, and finally by such conduct at the 
battle of Monmouth as to necessitate his arrest and trial for neglect of duty 
and disrespect to his commander, resulting in his conviction and final 
expulsion from the army. 

The successes of (iateson the Hudson led liim to believe he could supplant 
Washington as Commander-in-Chief of the army, and wnth thatview^, in con- 
junction with Conway and Miflin, he entered into a conspiracy to have him- 
self relieved of a command under "Washington and placed at the head of the 
Board of War, with powers superior to those of the general of the army. 
In that position, with Mittin as Quartermaster-General and Conway as 
Inspector-General, he did all in liis power to prevent the success of Wash- 
ington's forces, by ignoring his urgent requests for supplies for his army 
and reinforcements with Avhicli to attack the enemy; thus seeking to bring 
him into disfavor with liis troops and Avith the Congress, and force liis 
resignation. "The best laid scliemesof miceaud men gang aftaglay,"andso 
it A\-as Avith Gates and his cabal. While Wilkinson AA'as on his Avay to 



ID 

riiiliKU'lpliia for tlie purpose of fiirtlu'rinji' the scliomos of the conspirators, 
bo passed an evouing at the headquarters of General (Lord) Sterling, and, 
when lill(>d with wine, revealed the secrets of the cabal by divulging the 
contents of a letter from Conway to (Jates, wliich Lord Sterling immedi- 
ately communicated to General Washington. This led to a correspondence 
between Washington and Gates, and subsequently to such a revulsion of 
feeling in the popular mind as to result in the resignation of Mifiiu and 
Conway, and the transferring of Gates to a position imder the direct com- 
mand of General Washington. The correspondence between Washington 
and Gates was conducted by Hamilton, and enabled him with a master's 
hand to bring out into prominence the noble traits of Washington's charac- 
ter, at the same time that it covered Gates and his co-conspirators with 
shame, confusion and humiliation. 

The services of Hamilton in this regard were most commendable, for 
these were the darliest days of the revolution. The success of the British 
In capturing New Yorli and Philadelphia stood out in bold contrast with the 
apparently imsuccessful campaign of Washington, and the people were 
ready and ripe to entertain any suggestion for a change of commanders, 
and the condition of the troops at Valley Forge was such as to make the 
heart of their beloved commander bleed as he saw them without clothes, 
shoes or blanlvets, leaving their footprints of blood as they tramped tlirough 
their encampments in searcli of fuel to relieve their intense sufferings from 
the winter's bitter cold. 

With the full knowledge of the discontent that began to find expression 
both in and out of Congress, he stood in helpless silence, for he was con- 
scious that the revelation of the facts necessary to his own vindication 
would reveal to the enemy the weaknesses of his position, and necessarily 
place the army at a great disadvantage, possibly provoke its utter ruin and 
dissolution. It was at such a time as this that the diplomacy of Hamilton 
revealed the true character of his beloved commander, justified his conduct, 
thwarted the object of his enemies, effected a change in the Board of War, 
and brought about a reorganization of the army upon a substantial footing, 
and, above all, secured the relief of the poor soldiers in the way of food, 
clothing and pay, and invested W^ashington for a term of six months with 
almost absolute power. 

On June 25, 1778, Hamilton, who had been assigned as especial aide to 
LaFayette, had pushed forward in advance opposite the Heights of Mon- 
mouth, from whence he wrote General Washington, informing him that 
tlie enemy had filed off from AUentown to the Heights of Monmouth, and 
adds: "I recommend to you to move towards this place as soon as the 
convenience of your men will permit." On the following day he again 
wrote Washington, who had advanced to the place suggested by Hamilton, 
giving him such information as he had been able to secure in regard to the 
enemy's movements and the condition of the advanced troops. 

The change in the position of the enemy during the day rendered it proper 
to reinforce LaFayette, and to relieve Lee's feelings, General Washington 



20 

ordorod him forward to join LaFiiyctfo, -witli iiislruftioiis to porsevorc in 
any operation in wliidi tlic advance liad cn^aj^cd, and witli tlic vnidcrstand- 
ini; tiiat tlio (.•oniniaiid was conlidcd to liiiii, I.cc. 'I'lic main IkkIv tlicn 
moved forward and encamix-d witliin tlnce miles of MonuKnilli. Colonel 
Morgan toolv up a position r)n (lie I'iglit liank of the enemy and General 
Dickinson, with the Jersey mililia, mi llic left. 

Ou the eveuiug of the L'Ttli. ICarinu tiial tiie cni'iiiy mii^lil move off at 
night, Hamiltou, by order of Wasliinglon. directed (Jeneial Leo to detach 
a party of some (JOG or SdO. to advance near the enemy, and by skirmishing, 
to interfere and delay their retreat, and to give orders to Colonel .Morgan 
to make an attack for similar imi'pose. Lee had Ix'cii furilier oi'dere<l to 
call his otiicers together and agree' upon a plan of altacjc. and an Imnr 
appointed for their conference. I^ee ignored these orders, and i)ermittf'd 
the enemy to take a strong position. 

It may be well here to remark tliat Hamilton liad, prior to this time, 
called General Lee's attention to. and nrgi'd his occupation of a hill, that 
commanded the plain on which tlie enemy were advancing, and that tliere 
the battle should be fouglit. The sequel will show the importance of this 
position. 

These orders having l)eeu issued 1)y (Jeneral Washington, the ujain Ijodj' 
of the American army was put in juotion to support Lee, who was ordered 
to commence the attack. As soon as this was done. Hamilton, who had 
been with LaFayette in front, I'eturued to Washington and advised him 
to throw the right wing of the army around by the right, and with the 
left to follow up General Lee, to support him. Washington appreciated the 
importance of this suggestion, and ordered General Greene to take the 
position indicated by Hamilton. This done, Hamilton again went forward 
to reconnoiter. Lee's action was very dilatory — advancing and halting, and 
again advancing and halting. He ordered Wayne to leave his own detach- 
ment and take command of the advance, which lie did, and on reaching the 
front sent immediate intelligence to Lee that the enemy were moving in 
great disorder, and urged him to press forward, he, himself, continuing to 
advance and attack the enemy. Just at this time tlie Avhole force of the 
British came in vieAv, and the advance brigade of cavalry charged Wayne's 
advance. This charge was valiantly repulsed, and the enemy began to 
retire in the direction of an eminence, which tliey gained, greatly to their 
advantage. Tliis was the hill pointed out by Hamilton to Lee. Wayne, 
noticing the intention of the enemy to secure this advantage, pressed ou 
with the Intention of securing it in advance, and every circumstance was 
favorable to his success, when the astounding order was received from 
Lee to retreat. Noting this, the British sent a column through the village 
to intercept Wayne's command and prevent its rejoining the main advance 
under Lee. Hamilton, observing the situation, suggested to Lee an attack 
upon the enemy's right, which suggestion was approved, and LaFayette 
ordered to make the attack. It was at this instant, while Washington was 
standing with his arm extended over his horse, that he was informed of the 
retreat. His indignation was intense, and instantly springing upon hia 



21 

horse, ho pushed forward to the rear of the advance corps under Lee, aud 
himself rallied the retreating troops, who were then in the greatest dis- 
order, ignorant what direction to pursue, or why they were retreating. He 
immediately ordered Wayne to renew the attack, and appealed to Colonels 
Ramsey and Stewart to check the enemy. It was then that Lee approached 
and was severely reprimanded by Washington. Hamilton, who had ridden 
up, observing Lee's discomfitin-e, exclaimed, " I will stay with you, my dear 
General, aud die with you. Let us all die here rather than retreat." See- 
ing the enemy advancing on Knox's artillery, Hamilton advised thkt a 
detachment should be sent to his support, which being done, he returned 
to the rear, where he rallied a retreating brigade under Olney, and, forming 
them in line, he led a charge against the enemy. In this charge his horse 
was shot under him, and being hurt by the fall and overcome by the heat 
(having ridden throughout the action witliout his hat) he was compelled to 
retire. This charge of Olney's brigade prevented a flank movement of the 
enemy and enabled Washington to form a new line upon the eminence, aud 
completely stop the progress of the British. 

Greene immediately pushed forward with his force on the right. General 
Woodford on the left, while Wayne advanced in the center, covered by 
Knox's artillery. 

The enemy were thus driven from the field, upou which the Americans 
bivouaced for the night, exliausted by the heat and action, hoping to renew 
the battle on the following morning. The enemy took advantage of the 
darkness to cover their retreat and succeeded in embarking>>at Sandy Hook. 

This shows the conspicuous services of Hamilton in this engagement, and 
such was Washington's sense of their importance that he caused a high 
eulogium upon him to be inserted in his dispatch to Congress, which Hajuil- 
tou, for motives of delicacy, induced him to expunge. 

Lee's conduct resulted in his being court-martialed and found guilty of 
disobedience of orders, in not attacking the enemy; of misbehavior, by 
makiugan unnecessjiry and disorderly retreat; and of disrespect to the Com- 
mander-in-Chief. He was suspended from his command for twelve months 
and afterward cashiered. 

Admiral DeGrasse, having arrived off the coast of Virginia, the antici- 
pated attack upon New York was given up, and Washington moved his 
army by a circuitous route into Virginia, reaching Philadelphia on the 5th of 
September, 1781, where lie met DeGrasse, and agreed upon the campaign 
whicli was to end so gloriously in the defeat and capture of Cornwallis' 
army. Hamilton had been placed in command of a corps of light infantry 
and attached to the division of LaFayette. 

Cornwallis' retreat into the interior had been cut off, and he was com- 
pletely hemmed in on the York Peninsula. His position was, however, a 
strong one, being protected on the north by the steep cliffs of the river, upon 
which batteries had been erected to co-operate with those on the opposite 
shore; on the west by a deep ravine and morass; and the south by an exten- 
sive line of fortifications, which the British were engaged in throwing up 
when the Americans arrived. The outer line of these fortifications was 



22 

iimin'(li;iifly vmcmIciI. Cdi' fciir tlic Aiiifricaiis would f,'('t botweon tlicin nud 
tliL' luwii. rpon llii'ir cviicuatioii. tlicy witc iiiiiiicdiatcly ocoupit'd by the 
Aiiicricniis, who, on St'ptciiibcr liidli. began Iho siege of Yorktown. Day 
a tier (lay gradual advances were made, aud the enemy forced back into 
their inner worivs. Finally it became necessarj' to obtain possession of two 
detached and dangerous redoubts, which were enfilading the whole lino of 
the American entrenchments, and it was determined to carry them by 
assault; the one on the left by the Americans under LaFajette; on the 
right by the French under DeVionienil. 

Tills Avas an opportunity for whicli Hamilton had long aspired. At the 
critical moment, however, a change was made, and the order to attack was 
intrusted to another. On learning of this arrangement, he repaired imme- 
diately to General Washington's headciuarters, and remonstrated with him, 
claiming that it was his right to lead the attack, as the officer on duty. His 
appeal was successful, and he returned to his corps in the highest of spirits, 
hoping to signalize himself bj* some valiant achievement. The advance 
was to bo made in two columns, on the 14th of October. The signal of 
attack was given, and a simultaneous advance made upon the two 
redoubts — one by the French and the other by the American troops. 
Hamilton gave the order to advance with bayonets fixed, himself led the 
attack, pressed througli tlie abatis and mounted the parapet, quite in 
advance of his corps. The impetuosity of the attack carried all before it, 
aud the redoubt was taken without firing a gun, and Washington states 
that few cases had exhibited greater proofs of intrepidity, coolness and 
firmness than was shown on this occasion. 

On entering the works, as soon as Hamilton saw that the enemy were 
defeated, incapable of imitating examples of barbarity, and forgetting 
recent provocations, he ordered his soldiers to spare every man who ceased 
to fight. Only a few days before, an American colonel, Scammel. while 
reconnoitering, was surprised by the British, captured and wantonly killed. 
When Colonel Campbell, who commanded the redoubt, advanced to sur- 
render, a captain, Avho had served under Scammel, seized a bayonet, and 
drew back with the intent of plunging it into his breast; seeing which, 
Hamilton instantly thrust it aside, and thus prevented the killing of the 
British colonel, although a well-merited retaliation for their cruel treat- 
ment of Scammel. 

Three days after the capture of these redoubts, Cornwallis surrendered, 
and the war was practically over. 

In describing tlie part taken l)y Hamilton at ^Monmouth and Yorlvtown, 
I have omitted to allude to his marriage to Miss Elizabetli Schuyler, second 
daughter of General Philip Schuyler, which took place at Albany, N. Y., 
on December 14. 1780. 

Peace having been declared, Washington having issued his " Farewell 
Address" at Frauuces' Tavern, Hamilton began to devote himself to the 
practice of his profession. His official cares had for some time necessi- 
tated a neglect of his pi'ivate business, and he hoped now to recover his 
losses and to make suitable provision for his wife and children. But his 



23 

expectations were not realized; his country required his further services, 
and for years he lal)ored strenuously to secure a union of the States based 
upon a Constitution giving to the Congress powers suflicient to enforce the 
laws and preserve tlie Union. 

After the cessation of hostilities in 1781, he was elected to Congress, 
where his efforts on behalf of the soldiers are well known. The history of 
the adoption of the Constitution may almost be said to be an epitome of 
Hamilton's life luitil its final adoption on July 26, 1788. At the Annapolis 
and Pliiladelphia conventions he devoted all his powers of eloquence and 
reasoning to procure its adoption; it was not what he desired, but "the 
best that could be had." He desired and advocated a strong centralized 
government; the one adopted was a compromise between the advocates of 
States rights and those of a strong centralized government. He prepared 
and submitted to the convention a plan which, tliough not adopted in full, 
yet shows his wonderful foresight and knowledge of what was required in 
the great contract of union, to preserve the nation in its entirety and 
Insure to the people a government with powers adequate to the mainte- 
nance of law and order at home and for tlie protection of its citizens 
abroad. 

After its adoption by the convention, tlie plan was submitted to the 
various States for their approval. It became necessary for New York to 
join the other States, in order to secure its adoption. A convention was 
called at I'ouglikeepsie for the purpose of considering the plan, and all 
eyes were turned to Hamilton, wlio had everj^ reason to fear that the oppo- 
nents of the plan in the convention would prevent its ratification; but he 
was equal to the emergency, and in a masterly speech convinced the mem- 
bers of the advisability and necessity for its adoption, witli the result that 
New York gave its approval, and the Constitution was ratified and 
became the fundamental law of the land. 

The joy of the people was unbounded, and manifested itself in grand 
civic parades, in one of which, through the streets of New Y'orlv, was borne 
on wheels a full-manned and full-rigged ship, bearing the name of " Hamil- 
ton," from wliich, en route, salvos of artillerj' announced the adoption of 
the Constitution and the glorious services of Alexander Hamilton. 

Hamilton had not confined his efforts alone to the Congress and the con- 
ventions, but in a series of papers, subsequently published under the title of 
" The Federalists," contributed vastly to a proper understanding of the 
situation and the requirements of such an organic law. 

" There is not," says Guizot, " in the Constitution of the United States 
an element of order, force or duration which he did not poAverfully con- 
tribute to introduce into it and cause to predominate," and " The Federal- 
ists is the greatest known work in the application of elementary principles 
to the practical administration of government." 

Upon the election of Washington as President, Hamilton was tendered 
and accepted the office of Secretary' of the Treasury. His reports on 
finance, manufactures and the national bank showed that he was as great 
a financier as he was soldier and statesman. His arduous labors and the 



24 

iiiullii)licil.v of his public (lutirs ii;itur:illy rcsullrd in i«'til jealousies aiiidlig 
liis oplHUU'iit.s, Mild cITiPi-ls well' iiindc to injure Ins rejiutat ion iind thus 
deprive him of his ;;i-e;il inllurnce .-ind pnwrr. The "(Jih'S Resolutions " 
were intended for thnl pni'itose, liul resulted in mu ignominious f;iilure, and 
Hamilton's signal triumph. 

In 1794 llie Whiskey Insurrections in Pennsylvania occurred, but were 
jiromptly sui)])rcss<'d hy llamilion. In tlie same year he was offered and 
refused the Cliief .1 ust iceslii]) of tiie I'niled Slates Snpi-eme Court. 

On Dt'c-i'Udd'r 11, ITitS, NN'ashingtoii having ri'tired to private life, and 
disputes having arisen with I'rance, which made a war with that uation im- 
minent, Hamilton, at the urgent reciuest of Washington, was made Geueral- 
in-Chief of the I'liited States Army; fortunately the war was averted, and 
Hamilton was enabled to devote his lime and labors to liis iirofession. 

It is a fact not generally known, that at the time of his fatal meeting with 
Hurr. Hamilton was engaged in the prejtaration of a work t(» which he had 
devoted years of assiduous lal)or, the importjince and value of which can 
only at the present day be but faintly estimati'd. The ground-work was 
a compilation of the theories of government and laws to be treated of in 
an analytical, scieutifle manner. 

Not satisfied with the declarations as laid down by I>lackstoue. which 
were accepted as the corner-stone of modern common law, he had carefully 
segregated the theories aud propositions of all the known law makers, 
from the time that the decalogue was pronounced amid the flashing of 
lightning aud the roll of thunder, down to the time when, on the l)anks of 
the Ruunymede, Magna Charta was forced from John. 

Assyrian, Persian, Egyptian, Grecian and Latin lore were the gardens 
from which he plucked the many buds with which to decorate his work. 
Confucius, Justinian, Blackstone aud Napoleon were open books to him, 
and in connection with this he had also followed the indistinct paths of 
Political Economists, w-ho up to that time w'ere only blazing a pathway 
in the dense forest. This was to him a labor of love — his last ambition— 
the dream of his later years— never to be realized. 

Literature was robbed of this brilliant work by the same bullet wliich laid 
low the noble gentleman aud chivalric American, Alexander Hamilton. 

It being my intention to-night to confine myself more particularly to 
Hamilton's military career, leaving for a subseciueut lecture his achieve- 
ments as statesman, jtirist aud financier, I have only cursorily^ alluded to 
the events following the declaration of peace, and beg now to close my 
remarks with a short allusion to the sad event which ended his career. 



27 

THE DUEL. 

There were, in the beginning of the present century, two beautiful liomes 
in the vJcinity of New York, occupied by men of prominence. Tliey were 
distinguished hiwyers, and each the leader of a great national political 
organization. One of these homes was Richmond Hill, situated at the junc- 
tion of what is now Varick and Vandam streets; the other, " The Grange," 
at the junction of One Hundred and Forty-third street and Tenth avenue. 
One was the home of Aaron Burr, then Vice-President of the United States, 
the other of Alexander Hamilton. 

In each of these homes, during the months of June and July, 1804, 
preparations were being made for a drama, whose sad and tragic sequel 
was to cast its dismal shadow across the pathway of an infant re])ublic, 
pluck from a nation's galaxy its briglitest star, and deprive the world of a 
great, noble and unseltish benefactor. 

On the morning of June 18th, General Hamilton was the recipient of a 
letter from Colonel Burr, demanding from him an explanation or dis- 
avowal of certain remarks reported by one Dr. Cooper to have been made 
by Hamilton concerning Burr. This led to the exchange of several letters 
between the parties and their seconds* — Judge Nathaniel Pendleton acting 
for General Hamilton and William P. Van Ness for Colonel Burr. Hamil- 
ton was opposed to duelling, and did all he could, consistent with honor.-lo 
prevent the fatal meeting. He had only two years before lost his oldest 
son in a duel with George Eacker.-j- But the Code of Honor prevailed, and 
on June 27th the challenge was sent and accepted. At the request of 
Hamilton, the meeting was postponed until July 11th, to enable him to 
attend to some important business of his clients, during the term of the 
court then being held, and adjust his private affairs. 

On the 4th of July a very sad, peculiar and touching incident transpired, 
which, in view of the attendant circumstances, is of more than passing 
interest. On that natal day of the Republic, the Society of the Cincinnati 
had their annual banquet, at Avhich Hamilton, as President-Gen- 
eral, presided, and at his side sat the guest of the evening — the Vice- 
President of the United States, Aaron Burr. Picture to yourselves the feel- 
ings of the presiding officer under such conditions as these! In seven days 
he was to meet in deadly combat the man he was called on to honor as the 
representative of the National Government, and that man sat there with 
all the nonchalance, unconcern and careless indifference of one who had a 
premonition of the final issue. Hamilton was serious and earnest, his 
words were full of love and his manner full of gentleness and tenderness 
toward his friends about him. He was urged to sing, and when the 
company would take no i-efusal, he sang his favorite ballad, " How Stands 
the Glass Around. "f 



* Note 4, p. 43. 
t Note 6, p. 54. 
;Note 10, p.\8. 



28 

I'oi-cltodiiijx till' (Ircadful result, lliuniltoii uiado his will.* It is slKirl, 
lint as it sliows tlic true cliai-aclcr of tlu' man, let luc read you ;\ imrtiou 
of it: 

'■ 'riiou^;li. if it should jilcMsi- (',i){\ to spai-c my lifi'. 1 iii;iy look I'oi' .a cou- 
sidcralilc sui'|ilus out of ni\- itrcsnii iiroiiciiy: yil if lie slionld speedily 
call uu- to I lie eternal woild. a ftnced sale, as is usual, may possibly render 
it insutlieienl to satisfy my delils. 1 jiray Cod lliat souiethiuji may remain 
for the m;iinten;iiiee nud education of my dear wife ;ind I'hildren. P.ut 
sliould it on the conti-ary li;ip|(en. tliat tliere is not en<Mmli for the i»aymeut 
of my debts. 1 entreat ]iiy de.-ir cliildren. if tliey. or any of ilieiii, should 
ever be able, to make up tlu' deliciency. 1. witliout hesitation, eomuut to 
their delicacy a wish dictated by my own. 'rhouj:h conscious that I have 
too far .sacriliced llie interests of my fjimily to jiublic avocations, and on 
this account liave the less claim to buiMlien my chiklren, yet 1 trust iu their 
mauuanimity to appreelato as they (tu.Liht this my re(iuest. In so unfavour- 
able ;in event of thing's, the suii]iort of their (l(>ar motliei'. witli tlie most 
respectful and tender attention, is .-i duly, all tlie sacreduess of which they 
will feel. I'robably her own patrimoinal resoiu'ces will preserve her from 
indigence. But iu all situations they are charged to bear in uuhd that 
she has been to them the most devoted and best of mothers." 

Here, iu these few Avords. we find the strongest proof of his exalted 
character. His honor was lii.s first and greatest solicitude: th:it none of 
his children should ever have occasion to he ashamed to bear his name. 
" Should there not be enough for the payment of my debts, I entreat my 
dear children to make up the deficiency." Conscious that he had too far 
sacrificed the interests of his family to public avocations, he lifts his voice 
in prayerful appeal to the Divine Helper, " I pray God that something 
may remain for the maintenance of my dear wife and children." and then, 
as if in benediction, commends to hi.s children " the most devoted and best 
of mothers." whose " support, Avitli the most respectful and tender atten- 
tion, is a duty, all the sacreduess of which the}' will feel." 

Well may tlie illusirious Xott** have exclainuMl. " Oh. thou disconsolate 
widow! Ilobbed, so cruelly robbed, in so short a time, both of husband 
and son! Oh (Jod! If Thou art still the widow's hu.sband, and the father 
of the fatherless, — if, iu the fullness of Thy goodness there be y(»T nu'rcies 
in store for miserable mortals, pity, oh pity this afflicted mother, and grant 
that her hapless orphans may tind a fri(>ud, a benefactor, a father iu Thee!" 

Having made liis will, he prepared a statementl explaining his reasons 
for accepting Burr's challenge, and his intentions. 

I will read you some of his remarks, explanatory of his conduct, motives 
and views on the expected interview: 

" I was certainly desirous of avoiding this interview, for the most cogent 
reasons. 



* Note 2, p. 38. 
**Note9, p. 63-77. 
t Notes, p. 39. 



29 

" JNIy religious and moral princiiilos are strongly opposed to the prac- 
tice of diu'lling, and it would ever give me pain to be obliged to shed the 
blood of a fellow-creature in a private combat, forbidden by the laws. 

" My wife and children are extremely dear to me, and my life is of the 
utmost importance to them, in various views. 

" I feel a sense of obligation towards my creditors, who, in case of acci- 
dent to me, by the forced sale of my property, may be in some degree 
sufferers. I did not think myself at liberty, as a man of probity, lightly 
to expose them to this hazard. 

" I have resolved, if our interview is conducted in the usual manner, 
and it pleases God to give me the opi)ortunity, to reserve and throAV away 
my first fire — and I have thoughts even of reserving my second fire — and 
thus giving a double opportunity to Colonel Burr to pause and reflect. 

" To those who, with me, abhorring the practice of duelling, may think 
that I ought on no account to have added to the number of bad examples, 
I answer, that my relative situation, as well in public as private, enforcing 
all tlie considerations which constitute wliat men of the world denominate 
honour, imposed on me (as I thought) a peculiar necessity not to decline 
the call. The ahilili/ to he in future vseful, ichetlier in resisting misehief 
or affectiiiff good, in those erises of our politieal affairs, which seem likely to 
happen, icould proMhlg he inseparahle from a conformity tcith puhlic prejudice 
in this particular." 

While Hamilton was tlius engaged. Burr was at Riclimond Hill prac- 
ticing at a target in his garden liy day. and at night, witli the assistance 
of his good man, Davis, destroying compromising correspondence with 
women.* 

At early dawn on A^'ednesday, July 11, 1804, Alexander Hamilton silently 
and with heavy heart left The Grange** and drove down tlie Bloomingdale 
road to the foot of Gansevoort street, then called the Great Kiln road, 
stopping on his way for Dr. David Hosack, the surgeon who had been 
agreed on, and Judge Pendleton, his second. There they took a boat and 
were rowed to Weehawken.f On arriving tliere, they found Colonel BniT, 
Van Ness and Davis engaged in clearing away the bushes for tlae meeting. 
The preliminaries^ were soon arranged, and clioice of place and word of 
command fell to Hamilton's second. Unaccountably, Judge Pendleton 
selected for his principal a position facing the morning sun, and 
in front of a projecting stone, which gave to his antagonist every 
advantage of aim, while Burr stood free from any object that miglit 
aid or assist Hamilton in directing his tire. This done. Judge Pen- 
dleton asked, "Are you ready?" and on receiving an affirmative 
answer from botli, gave the command agreed on, " Present!" Colonel 
Burr thereupon took deliberate aim and fired. His bullet struck Hamilton in 



*See Lodge's Hamilton, "Statesmen Series," p. 249;' Morse, Vol. II, p. 368. 
** Note 5, p. 52. 

t Note 6, p. 541. 

t Note 7. p. 59. 



31) 

tlio rijjht sitlo. frnclurcd tlio .s»h>oiu1 or lliinl falso rib, and, pnssiiifj tlionce 
throuKli tlio ])()(l.v,lo<lj,'('(l ill tlic vertcltra or si)iiial foluiiiii. sijliiitcriii;; it to 
siioh an ox ton I Ilia I tlir lit lie i>MrIicl<'s of l)niir uci-c distinctly porooptible to 
tho finfior. ■\^'il(■n striKk. lie raised iiiiiiscH' cunvulsivcly on his toes, turned 
slightly to tlir left and tell forward niion Ins face, apparently lifeless. In 
this oonvulsivo niovoniont his pistol was disoharj^od without his being con- 
scious of it, .and this fad has givi'ii rise to a groat deal of controversy in 
regai'd to wlietiicr Ilaiiiiltoii tired at liurr or not.* lie was iiiiniediat'ely 
removed to the boat by IVndleton and Ilosack, and taken down the river 
to the place whence they had oinbarlced. On the way he recovered con- 
sciousness, and seeing the case of pistols in the boat, and observing the one 
that he had taken in his hand lying on the outside, he said: " Take care of 
that pistol; it is undischarged and still cocked; it may go off and do barm. 
Pendleton knows that I did not intend to fire at him." After saying this, 
he again closed his eyes and had very little to saj' until the boat approached 
the shore, when he again rallied sutticiontly to request that his wife be 
sent for and that the event be gradually broken to her. 

On arriving at the wharf the party was met by Mr. William Bayard, who 
appeared to be in groat distress, surmising the dreadful result, and Hamilton 
was conveyed in a cot to his (Bayard's) house, tlio one al)0ut whicli ho liad 
stood guard as a boy to protect the records of the Province of New York, in 
1770. On the following day he died in this house.t His sufferings wore 
intolerable, and although resort was had to all known remedies and the 
surgeons of the French frigate, then present in our harbor, were called in 
consultation with Drs. Hosack and Post, the attending physicians, nothing 
could relieve his pain. Yet, in all his agony, his mind was clear and 
active — his thought,s were directed more to his " beloved wife and 
children," of whom he frequently, spoke, and he was more concerned with 
their sufferings, more anxious about their welfare than his own. Just 
before he expired they were brought to his bedside — the dear, devoted, 
distracted wife and seven disconsolate children — his emotion overcame 
him and, for the first time, his speech failed him. In the presence of these 
poor innocent and unfortunate victims of a barbarous custom .Hamilton 
could speak no word of cheer or sympathy — no word of hope, nor 
solace nor consolation. Their grief and despair, their helpless agony and 
burning tears were mute but earnest px'otests against the custom to which 
he had yielded his assent. There they stood, the helpless victims of the 
Code of Honor — widowed and orphaned by his own act, in consenting to 
the meeting that ho must have known involved so much misery, such 
awful sacrifices. He could not speak, but turning his head in the direc- 
tion whex'e they were standing, he gave them one last long look and, 
closing his eyes to them and the world, passed away, M'ith this bitter- 
sweet, this sweetly-sad vision of all that was near and dear to him on 
earth. 

*Note 8. p. 60. 
+ Note 5, p 57. 



31 

Oh. what a scene of desolation — what a picture of self-inflicted woe! 
Oh, Hamilton! Hero of Monmouth and Yorktown, you whose courage 
and valour were shown on many a bloody field of battle — you, whose 
honor and integrity were so unquestioned, whose services were so valued 
and esteemed by your countrymen! You, so dear to your family and 
friends! How could you yield assent to this barbarous custom? 

His body was thence removed to the residence of his brother-in-law, 
John B. Church, at 25 Robinson street, what is now the northeast corner of 
Church street and Tark place. There it remained until the following 
Saturday. July 14th, when it was taken with military and civic honors* to 
Trinity Church, and interred in the churchyard, a few feet from Rector 
street. A simple monument marks the spot. On this is carved the fol- 
lowing epitaph: 

" To the Memory of 
ALEXANDER HAMH^TON. 

The Corporation of Trinity Church has 
erected this Monument in Testimony of their respect 
For 
The Patriot of Incorruptible Integrity 
The Soldier of Approved Valor 
The Statesman of Consummate Wisdom: 
Whose Talents and Virtues will be admired by Grate- 
ful Posterity long after this marble shall 
have mouldered into dust. 
He died July 32, 1804. Aged 47." 

In the beautiful Church of St. Thomas in Strasbourg is a monument 
erected by Louis XV to the memory of Marshal Sachs. It is oue of the 
most striking and wonderful groups in marble I have ever seen: A mono- 
lith stands out in relief from the walls of the church. In front of this, in 
high relief, stands the full life-size figure of Marshal Sachs, descending 
into an open sarcophagus. The ominous figure of Deatli stands at one end 
of the tonib, holding aloft the lid of the coffin, and, looking up to the hero, 
bids him descend; Hercules, at the other end, leans on his club, over- 
whelmed with grief. Between the Marshal and Death is the figure of a. 
woman — representing France — half-kneeling, half-crouchiug — earnestly 
pleading with Death, while with uplifted hand she seeks to stay the 
Marshal in his descent. To the right are ranged the victorious flags of 
France, against which, with inverted torch, a little figure, representing 
Progress, leans and weeps. On the left are the flags and emblems of the 
nations the valiant soldier had conquered In battle. 

It is a wonderful group, exquisite in design, grand In conception and 
unsurpassed in its masterful execution. Such a monument would but fitly 
commemorate the life, the virtues and the priceless services of our own 

* Note 11, p. 79. 



32 

Ilamillon. But lie nccils no inomimont smvc lli.il which his own K<'niu3 
hns cMfvcd npon I lie iMlilcts of liistory. I'lK.n llic licUls of Long Ishuul, 
1111(1 on tlic Ilci.uliis of Il;irlciii imd Wliilc I'liiiiis. :il .Monmouth and York- 
town, he lias h'l'l liic impress of liis conragc, valor and i)atriotism. In the 
c-onviMilion halls of Annapolis, ronf^hivccpsic and Pliiladi'lphia his voice waa 
the clarion note tlial. ai)iicalinj,' it) llic pride and honor of bis countrymen, 
led to the adoption of llie Constilntion, and the establishment of a nation 
that to-day coniniaiids the ri'spect and admiration of the world — a Govern- 
ment powerftd anil fi'arless in the protection of the lives, liberty and 
property of its citizens, and mai^nanimons Iteyond parallel in the treatment 
of its vaniinished fot-s. lint tlie pen of Hamilton was mightier than his 
Rword; he gave to tlii' world in his " Federalist " a commentary upon con- 
stitutional law and enlightened self-government that stands not only 
unrivaled but uuequalh^d in llie liistory of .itn-isiirudence. As a lawyer he 
was the brighest ornament of the l)ar of liis State and country; as a man 
he was loved for his sterling integrity and noble character, and wlien he 
died a nation mourned his loss, and tongue and pen have never ceased to 
eulogize his virtues. 

When the Walhalle of our country's heroes has been erected, there we 
shall tind, beneath its great dome, a marble gmup, embodying the virtue, 
the genius and the valor of the American Character. First, greatest and 
noblest of theiu all, stands the majestic figure of our illustrious Washing- 
ton; on his right, Thomas Jefferson, the diplomat-statesman, and author of 
the Declaration of Independence; on his left, Alexander Hamilton, the 
valiant soldier and incorruptible patriot, the brilliant orator and profound 
jurist, wise statesman and financier — the Founder of our National Great- 
ness. Around his form the noble Washington threw the holy circle of his 
confidence and love; and lie, who would speed the covert arrow of malice 
at Hamilton, will not fail to pierce the heart and wound the character 
and rei)utation of the great father of his countiy. 



._, lii 




'^ ^ 



*»»,_ j^^ ^V^ -*H<. /to9<J,«?fi»' 







'^/ 



?1^^/^ 



•^t-? 



f :^ W 



^ t ^^^ 




Jv 




NOTES. 



[Note 1.] 

A CHKONOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF EVENTS OF HAMILTON'S 

LIFE, ETC. 
1757 Jau. 11. Born at Nevis, one of the Antilles group of West India 

islands. 
17G2 Went to Santa Cruz.— Cared for by Peter Lytton, his 

mother's brotlier. Progressi in Hebrew. Letter to 

" Ned " Stevens. 
1769 Clerk with Cruger.— Ability displayed. 

1772 Aug. Hurricane letter.— Governor-General's efforts to find the 

autlior. Resulting in his being sent to the United States 
to be educated. 
Oct. 11. Arrived in Boston, Elizabethtown, with Governor Living- 
stone and Mulligan. 

1773 Princeton College. Applied for admission, demanding a 

" special course." Admission refused, as against the 
rules. 
Columbia (then Kings) College. Admitted to. 
Dec. Visit to Boston. Interest in the colonies. 

Stirring events that occupied the public mind: 

1765 Mar. 22. Stamp Act passed. 

1766 19. Stamp Act repealed. 

1767 June 29. Paper and Glass tax passed. 

1769 Dec. 19. McDougal's arrest for libel. 

1770 Mar. 5. Boston Massacre. 

April 12. Duties, except on tea, repealed. 

1773 Dec. 18. Boston Tea Party. 

1774 Mar. 18. Boston Port Bill, 

1774 July 6. The Fields Meeting.— His great effort. 
Sept. 5. First Continental Congress. 

Nov. Controversy with Dr. Cooper, Seabury and Wilkins.— " A 

Westchester Farmer." " A True Friend of America." 

1775 Quebec Bill Criticised.— Dangerous precedent. 
April 19. Battle of Lexington and Concord. 

June 17. Bunker Hill. 

1776 Jan. Studying Tactics.— Under Major Fleming and " Bombar- 

dier " Thomson. His volunteer company, " Hearts of 
Oak." Battei-y cannon incident. 
Mar. 14. Captain of Artillery.— Provincial company. On recom- 
mendation of McDougal. Defending records, Bayard 
House. 



36 

ITTC. July 4. DcflMnition of Iiulependence. • 

Anjr. 27. Hnltlt' of I.oii;: Islniid. Covcriiifr (lu- rctrrnt of r;»MH>rnl 

W;isliiiij,'toii. 
St'i't. IT). U.-illIr (.r Ihiilciii Ht'iulits. Obscrvod by Wasliiii^rtoii while 

tliiowiii^i 111) breastworks in f'cntral Park. 
Oct. 28. Battle of White Plains. Chatterton Hill — Leslie's charge. 
Nov&Dec Tlie Jersey Kctrcat. 'I'lic IJarifaii iiiciflcnt. Now Unins- 

wick. 
Dec. 2(). Rattle of Trenton. 

1777 Jan. 3. Battle of Princeton. 

Mar. 15. Aiile-de-Canip to Washington. Sent to Congress by Wash- 
ington. Planning campaigns at Morristown. Negotia- 
tions, re-exchange of prisoners. Efforts on behalf of 
General Lee. Defense of the Hudson. 

April 5. Letter to the Provincial Congress. liogical reasoning. 

July 22. Remarks on Burgoyne and How<', and the capture of Ptiila- 
delphia. 

Aug. 4. Remarks on the Fall of Ticonderoga. Letter to Hancock, 
re-danger of the city. Battle of Germantown and 
Howe's retreat to Pliiladelphia. Gates in command of 
the Northern Army. 

Oct. 17. Surrender of Burgoyne. 

30. Hamilton sent to Gates and Putnam. The Conway. Gates 
and Miflin (,'abal. 

Not. 15. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union adopted by 
Congress. 

Dec. 19. Valley Forge. Foreign officers arrive. LaFayette, Steu- 
ben, Pidaski, Kosciusko, DeNoailles, DuPortail, DuPles- 
sis, Rochambeaii and DeGrasse. Adjustment of their 
rank. Steuben at Valley Forge. Hamilton-Steuben 
plan of re-organization. Exchange of prisoners at Phila- 
delphia. Hamilton acting for General Washington. 

1778 June 18. Philadelphia evacuated by Howe. Coimcil of War. Re- 

attack on Howe. Washington overruled. Second Coun- 
cil of War — Greene, Wayne and LaFayette for, Lee et 
al., against. Washington again overruled. Hamilton 
urges a.ction. and in company with Greene, called upon 
Washington to urge an attack on Howe. Hamilton as- 
signed to Lafayette. Active preparations. 
28. Battle of Monmouth. 
July 9. Articles of Confederation ratified and proclaimed. 

1779 Hamilton submits plans of action to Congress. His de- 

fensive campaign approved and adopted. Plans to cap- 
ture Sir Henry Clinton. Hamilton's reasons for oppos- 
ing it. Count D'Estaing's arrival, and Hamilton and 
DuPortail sent to him. 

1780 The question of finance, the all important. Winter quar- 

ters at Morristown. Letter to Robert Morris on finance, 
Disasters in the South. Mutiny at Morristown, 



37 

1780 Sept.-Oct. Arnold and Andre incident. Measures of Govei'nment. 

Convention of States. Letter to Duane. Greene given 
tlie Southern command in place of Gates. Hamilton 
asks for a separate command. 
Dec. 14. His marriage to Miss Schuyler. 

1781 Mutiny of Connecticut troops. Solicitude of Hamilton. 

Hamilton requested to go as Envoy to France. Declines 
in favor of Laurens. 

Feb. 16. Resignation as Aide to Washington. Causes and Circum- 
stances. Renews application for separate command. 
The Continentalists articles. 

Sept. 5. Arrival of DeGrasse. Robert Morris' tinaucial aid. Ham- 
ilton in command of a corps. 

Oct. 14. Battle of Yorktowu. 

1782 The study of law. 

May 2. Receiver of Continental Taxes in NeAv York. Addi'ess to 
the public creditors of the State of New York. Member 
of Congress. 

Nov. 25. Took his seat in Congress. Efforts on behalf of Soldiers. 
P^inancial depression. Jealousy of the States. Terri- 
torial complication. New York and Hampshire Grants. 
Virginia and West of AUeganies TeiTitory. Pennsyl- 
vania and Connecticut claims. North Carolina and 
Tennessee territory. 

1783 Peace declared. *' Farewell Address " at Fraunces Tavern. 
1783-89 - Constitutional History. 

1780 Sept. 11. I. Annapolis Convention. Hamilton as delegate. (N. Y.) 
(Va.) (Penn.) (Del.) (N. J.) 

1787 May 14. II. Philadelphia Convention. Hamilton, Yates and Lans- 

ing. Hamilton's plan. Jersey plan. Virginia plan. 
June 15. HI. Poughkeepsie Convention. Hamilton's great speech 
and results. 

1788 July 26. Adoption of the Constitution. By tlie ratification of New 

York. Federalist papers. 
Mar. 4. Organization of the Government. Hamilton Secretary of 
the Treasury. His reports on Finance; Manufactures; 
National Bank. Great labor and influence and conse- 
quent jealousy. The Giles Resolutions. Reynolds affair. 
Hamilton's triumph. 
1794 Whiskey insurrections. Offered the Chief Justiceship of 

the U. S. Supreme Court. Refused it. 
14. General in Chief of United States Army. 
Duel. 
Death.* 
Burial, t 



1798 Dec. 


14. 


1804 July 


11. 


July 


12. 


July 


14. 


* Note 8, p. 


60. 


t Note 11, p 


.79. 



38 

r\(>t<- 2.] 

GENERAL HAMILTON'S WILL. 

In tlu' iiainc of (Jod. Aiiicii. I, Alexander Hamilton, of the city of New 
Yoriv, Coiiiiscllor at Law, do iiiaiio tliis my last Will and Toslaini/nt, as 
follows: 

First. I appoint .lolin I?, ("linrcli, Nicholas Fish, and Nathanit-l Pendle- 
ton, of the city aforesaid, Fscinircs, to be E.xecutors and Trustees of this my 
Will, and I devise to them, their heirs and assigns, as joint tenants and not 
as tenants in common, all my estate real and personal whatsoever, and 
wheresoever, upon trust at their discretion, to sell and dispose of the same, 
at such time and times, in such manner, and upon such terms, as they 
the survivors and survivor sliall thinlc tit; and out of the proceeds to pay 
all tile debts which I shall owe at the time of my decease; in whole, if the 
fund ])e sutticient; proportional)ly, if it sliall be insutficient; and the resi- 
due, if any there sliall be, to pay and deliver to my excellent and dear 
wife, Elizabeth Hamilton. 

Thou.u:h, if it should please God to spare my life, I may look for a con- 
siderable surplus out of luy present property, yet if he should speedily call 
me to the eternal world, a forced sale, as is usual, may possibly render it 
insutficient to satisfy my debts. 1 pray God that somethini;- may remain 
for the maintenance and education of my dear wife and children. But 
should it on the contrai-y happen, that there is not enough for the pay- 
ment of my debts, T entreat my dear children, if they, or any of them, 
shoidd ever be able, to make up the deficiency. I, without hesitation, 
commit to their delicacy a wish dictated by my own. Though conscious 
that I have too far sacrificed the interests of my family to public avoca- 
tions, and on this account have the less claim to burthen my children, yet 
I ti'ust in their magnanimity to appreciate as they ought, tliis my request. 
In so unfavourable an event of things, the support of their dear mother, 
with the most respectful and tender attention, is a duty, all the sacredness 
of which they will feel. Probably her own patrimonial resources will 
preserve her from indigence. But in all sitviations they are charged to 
bear in mind, that she has been to them the most devoted and best of 
mothers. 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my hand the ninth 
day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four. 

ALEXANDER HAMILTON. 

Signed, Sealed, Published and Declared, as and for his last Will and 
Testament, in our presence, who have subscribed the same in his presence, 
the words John B. Church being above interlined. 

DOMINICK F. BLAKE, 
GRAHAM BURRIL. 
THEO. B. VALLEAU. 



39 

[Note 3.] 
STATEMENT ON EVE OF DUEL. 

On my expected interview with Colonel Burr, I tliinlc it proper to make 
some reniarks explanatory of my conduct, motives, and views. 

I was certainly desirous of avoiding this interview, for the most cogent 
reasons. 

1. My religious and moral principles are strongly opposed to the prac- 
tice of duelling, and it would ever give me pain to be obliged to shed the 
blood of a fellow-creature in a private combat, forbidden by the laws. 

2. My wife and children are extremely dear to me, and my life is of the 
utmost importance to them, in various views. 

3. I feel a sense of obligation towards my creditors, who, in case of acci- 
dent to me, by the forced sale of my property, may be in some degree 
sufferers. I did not tliink myself at liberty, as a man of proberty, lightly 
to expose them to this hazard. 

4. I am conscious of no ill will to Colonel Burr, distinct from political 
opposition, which, as I trust, has proceeded from pure and upright 
motives. 

Lastly, I shall hazard mucli, and can possibly gain nothing, by the issue 
of the interview. 

But it was, as I conceive, impossible for me to avoid it. There were 
Intrinsic difficulties in the thing, and artificial embarrassments, from the 
manner of proceeding on the part of Colonel Burr. 

Intrinsic, because it is not to be denied, that my animadversions on the 
political principles, character, and views of Colonel Burr, have been 
extremely severe; and on different occasions I, in common with many 
others, have made very unfavourable criticisms on particular instances of 
the private conduct of this gentleman. 

In proportion as these impressions were entertained with sincerity, and 
uttered Avith motives and for purposes which miglit appear to me com- 
mendable, woxUd be the difficulty (until they could be removed by evidence 
of their being erroneous) of explanation or apology. The disavowal 
required of me by Colonel Burr, in a general and indefinite form, was out 
of my, power, if it had really been proper for me to submit to be so ques- 
tioned; but I was sincerely of opinion that this could not be; and in this 
opinion I was confirmed by that of a very moderate and judicious friend 
whom I consulted. Besides that. Colonel Burr appeared to me to assume, 
in the first instance, a tone unnecessarily peremptory and menacing; and in 
the second, positively offensive. Yet I wished, as far as might be prac' 
ticable, to leave a door open to accommodation. This, I think, will be 
Inferred from the written communications made by me and by my direc- 
tions, and w^ould be confirmed by the conversations between Mr. Van Ness 
and myself, Avhich arose out of the subject. 

I am not sure whether, under all the circumstances. I did not go further 
in the attempt to accommodate, than a punctilious delicacy will justify. 
If so, I hope the motives I have stated will excuse me. 



40 

It is not my dcsijrn. by wliat I hnvc said, to affix any <Mliuin on the con- 
duct of Coloiu'l Hiirr in lliis cmsc lie doulttlcss lias iicard of aniniadver- 
sioiis (if iiiiiii' which huic very li.-ii'il uixni liiiii; .-nid it is jirobable that, as 
usual, they were .•iicdiiiiianird witli sonic fiilsciioods. lie may have sup- 
|i()scd liimsclf under the necessity of a<-lin;; as he has done. 1 hope the 
grounds of his proceedini; have lieeii such as ouj;ht to satisfy his own 
conscience. 

I ti'ust, at the same time, that the world will do me the justice to believe 
that I have not censured him on liKht grounds, nor from unworthy induce- 
ments. I certainly have had strong reasons for what I may have said; 
thouj^h it is possible that, in some particulars, I may have been influenced 
by misconstruction or misinformation. It is also my ardent wish that I 
ni;iy liave lieen more mistalien than 1 tliini< I have been; and that he, by his 
future conduct, may show himself worthy of all confidence and esteem, 
and prove an ornament and blessing to the country. 

As well because it is possible that I may have injured Colonel Burr, 
however c(tnvinced myself that my opinions and declarations have been 
well founded, as from my general principles and temper in relation to simi- 
lar affairs, I liave resolved, if our IntevvieAV is conducted in the usual 
manner, and it pleases God to give me the opportunity, to reserve and 
throw away my tirst fire, and I have thoughts even of reserving my second 
fire — and thus giving a double opportunity to Colonel Burr to pause and 
reflect. 

It is not, however, my intention to enter into any explanations on the 
ground. Apology, from principle, I hope, rather than pride, is out of the 
question. 

To those who, with me, abhorring the practice of duelling, may think 

that I ought on no account to have added to the number of bad examples, 

I answer, that my relative situation, as well in public as private, enforcing 

all the considerations which constitute what men of the world denominate 

honour, impo.sed on me (as I thought) a peculiar necessity not to decline 

the call. The ability to be in future useful, whether in resisting mischief 

or effecting good, in those crises of our public affairs, which seem likely to 

happen, would probably be inseparable from a conformity with public 

prejudice in this particular. 

A. H. 



43 

[Note 4.] 
HAMILTON-BURR CORRESPONDENCE. 

In the early part of 1S04, Chancellor Lansing was nominated by the 
Republicans for the office of Governor of the State of New York: on 
February 18th, he declined the nomination. On the same day members of 
the Legislature favoring the nomination of Aaron Burr as an independent 
candidate held a meeting at the Tontine Coffee House, in the city of 
Albany, and nominated him for Governor. 

Two days later Chief Judge Lewis I'eceived the regular nomination In 
the place of Chancellor Lansing, who had declined. 

After the nomination of Mr. Burr, and before Mr. Lansing's declination, 
a meeting of prominent Federalists was held in a tavern in Albany. It 
was intended to be a secret consultation, but it is stated that two of Burr's 
emissaries had found admission into a bedchamber adjoining the room 
in which the meeting was held, for the purpose of listening to all that 
passed. 

This meeting of the Federalists probably gave rise to the letter of 
Charles D. Cooper, which, though intended merely as an electioneering or 
campaign document, resulted in the correspondence with Burr and the 
fatal duel. 

On April 12, 1804, the Cooper letter was published, in which the follow- 
ing language was used: " General Hamilton, the patroon's brother-in-law, 
it is said, has come out decidedly against Burr. Indeed, when he was here 
he spoke of him as a dangerous man, and who ought not to be trusted." 
General Schuyler, Hamilton's father-in-law, on seeing this, published a 
statement regarding it. Di\ Cooper thereupon reiterated his previous 
assertion that " General Hamilton and Judge Kent have declared, in sub- 
stance, that they looked upon Mr. Burr to be a dangerous man, and one 
who ought not to be trusted with the reins of government," and added, 
" I could detail to you a still more despicable opinion which General Hamil- 
ton has expressed of Mr. Burr." 

Within a few days this correspondence was published in the newspapers 
at Albany, and two months thereafter resulted in the following corres- 
pondence" between Burr and Hamilton: 

No. I. 

New York, June 18, 1804. 

Sir. — I send for your perusal a letter signed Charles D. Cooper, which, 
though apparently published some time ago, has but very recently come to 
my knowledge. Mr. Van Ness, w^ho does me the favor to deliver this, will 
point out to you that clause of the letter to which I particularly request 
your attention. 

You must perceive, Sir, the necessity of a prompt and unqualified 
acknowledgment or denial of the use of any expression which would war- 
rant the assertions of Dr. Cooper. 

I have the honour to be, your obedient serv't, 

A. BURR. 

General Hamilton. 



44 



No. II. 

New York, June 20, 1804. 

Sir. — I liMvc iiiMliircly ri'flcftcd on ilic subject of your letter of the 18tb 
iiisi.. .iiiil I lie iiKuc I liave reflected the more I have become convinced that 
I could not, without manifest impropriety, make the avowal or disavowal 
which you seem to tliink necessary. The clause poiuted out by Mr. Van 
Ness is iu these terms: " 1 could detail to you a still more despicable 
opinion which General Hamilton has expres.sed of Mr. Burr." To 
endeavor to discover the meaning of this declaration, I was obliged to seek 
in the antecedent part of this letter for the opinion to which it referred, as 
haviuf,' been already disclosed. I found it in these words: " General 
Hamilton and Judge Kent have declared in substance that they looked 
upon Mr. Burr to be a dangerous man, and one who ought not to be 
trusted willi tlie reins of government." 

The language of Dr. Cooper plainly implies that he considered this 
opinion of you, which lie attributes to me, as a despicable one; but he 
affirms that I have expressed some other, more despicable, without, how- 
ever, mentioning to whom, when, or where. 'Tis evident that the plirase, 
" still more despicable," admits of iufiuite shades, from very light to very 
dark. How am I to judge of the degree intended? or shall I annex any 
precise idea to language so indefinite? 

Between gentlemen, despicable and more despicable are not worth tlie 
pains of distinction; when, therefore, you do not interrogate me as to the 
opinion which is specifically ascribed to me, 1 must conclude that you view 
it as within the limits to which the animadversions of political oppoueuts 
upon each otlier may justifiably extend, and consequently as not war- 
ranting the idea of it which Doctor Cooper appears to entertain. If so, 
what precise inference could you draw, as a guide for your conduct, were 
I to acknowledge that 1 had expressed an opinion of you still more 
despicable than the one which is particularized? How could you be sure 
that even this opinion had exceeded the bounds which you would yourself 
deem admissible between political opponents? 

But I forbear further comment on the embarrassment, to which the 
requisition you have made naturally leads. Tlie occasion forbids a more 
ample illustration, though nothing could be more easy than to pursue it. 

Repeating that I cannot reconcile it with propriety to make the acknowl- 
edgment or denial you desire, I will add that I deem it inadmissible on 
principle, to conseut to be interrogated as to the justness of the inference 
which may be drawn by others from whatever I may have said of a 
political opponent in the course of fifteen years' competition. If there 
were no other objection to it, this is sufficient, that it would tend to expose 
my sincerity and delicacy to injurious imputations from every person who 
may at any time have conceived the import of my expressions differently 
from what I may then have intended or may afterwards recollect. I stand 
ready to avow or disavow promptly and explicitly any precise or definite 



45 

opinion whicti I may be charged with having declared of any gentleman. 
More than this cannot fitly be expected from me; and especially it cannot 
be reasonably expected that I shall enter into an explanation upon a basis 
so vague as that which you have adopted. I trust on more reflection you 
will see the matter in the same light with me. If not, I can only regret 
the circumstances and must abide the consequences. 

The puljlicatlon of Doctor Cooper was never seen by me till after the 
receipt of your letter. 

I have the honour to be, etc., 

A. HAMILTON. 
Colonel Burr. 



No. III. 

New York, 21st June, 1804. 

Sir. — Your letter of the 20th instant has been this day received. Hav- 
ing considered it attentively, I regret to find in it nothing of that sincerity 
and delicacy which you profess to value. 

Political opposition can never absolve gentlemen from the necessity of 
a rigid adherence to the laws of honour, and the rules of decoi'um. I 
neither claim such privilege nor indulge it in others. 

The common sense of mankind affixes to the epithet adopted by Doctor 
Cooper the idea of dishonour. It has been publicly applied to me under 
the sanction of your name. The question is not, whether he lias under- 
stood the meaning of the word, or has used it according to syntax, and 
with grammatical accuracy; but, whether you have authorized this appli- 
cation, either directly or by uttering expressions or opinions derogatory 
to my honour. The time " when " is in your own knowledge, but no way 
material to me. as the calumny has now first been disclosed, so as to 
become the subject of my notice, and as the effect is present and palpable. 

Your letter has furnished me with new reasons for requiring a definite 

reply. 

I have the honour to be. Sir, your obedient, 

A. BUER. 
General Hamilton. 

The result of this letter was that General Hamilton called on Judge 
Nathaniel Pendleton, who subsequently acted as his second in the duel. 

No. IV. 

June 23, 1804. 

Sir. — In the afternoon of yesterday, I reported to Colonel Burr the 
result of my last interview with you, and appointed the evening to receive 
his further instructions. Some private engagements, however, prevented 
me from calling on him till this morning. On my return to the city, I 
found upon inquiry, both at your office and house, that you had returned 
to your residence in the country. Lest an interview there might be less 



4© 

aKi't't'Jililc to you tliaii cIscwIicit, 1 have taken tlit' libiTty of addrt's.siiig 
you this note to inquire when and wlicri' it will be most eouvenient to 
you to receive a coniuiunicalion. 

Your most obedient and very liuinldc servant, 

W. r. VAN NESS. 
General Hamilton. 



No. V. 

New York, June 22. 1804. 

Sir. — Your first letter, in a style too peremptory, made a demand, in my 
opinion, unprecedented and unwarrantable. My answer, pointing out the 
embarrassment, gave you an opportunity to take a less exceptionable 
course. You have not chosen to do it; but by your last letter, received 
this day, containing expr(>ssions indecorous and improper, you have 
increased the ditflculties to explanation intrinsically incident to the nature 
of your application. 

If by a "definite reply," you mean tlie direct avowal or disavowal 
required in yom* first letter, I have no other answer to give, tlian tliat 
which has already been given. If you mean anything different, admitting 
of greater latitude, it is requisite you should explain. 

I have the honour to be, f^ir, your obedient servant, 

ALEX. HAMILTON. 

Aaron Burr, Esq. 

Between .Tune 22d and 2."')tli, there were several conferences between 
Judge Pendleton and Mr. Van Ness, in one of which Judge Pendleton sug- 
gested that if Colonel Burr Avonld Avrite a letter, requesting to know in sub- 
stance whether, in the conversation to which Dr. Cooper alluded, any 
particular instance of dishonourable conduct w^as imputed to Colonel Burr, 
or whether there was any impeachment of his private chai'acter. General 
Hamilton would declare to the best of his recollection what passed in that 
conversation; and read to INIr. Van Ness the following memorandum. No. 
6, which was subsequently delivered to Mr. Van Ness in the form No. 7. 

No. VI. 

General Hamilton says he cannot imagine to what Dr. Cooper may have 
alluded, unless it were to a conversation at Mr. Taylor's, in Albany, last 
winter (at which he and General Hamilton w\is present). General Hamil- 
ton cannot recollect distinctly the particulars of that conversation so as to 
undertake to repeat them, without running the risk of varying, or omitting 
what might be deemed important circumstances. The expressions are 
entirely forgotten, and the specific Ideas imperfectly remembered, but to 
the best of his recollection it consisted of comments on the political prin- 
ciples and views of Colonel Burr, and the results that might be expected 
from them in the event of his election as Governor, without reference to 
any particular instance of past conduct, or to private character, 



47 

No. VII. 

In answer to a letter properly adapted to obtain from General Hamil- 
ton a declaration whether he had charged Colonel Burr with any particular 
Instance of dishonourable conduct, or had impeached his private character, 
either in the conversation alluded to by Dr. Cooper or in any other par- 
ticular instance to be specified, he would be able to answer consistently 
with his honour, and the truth, in substance, that the conversation to 
which Dr. Cooper alluded, turned wholly on political topics, and did not 
attribute to Colonel Burr any instance of dishonourable conduct, nor relate 
to his private character; and in relation to any other language or conver- 
sation of General Hamilton which Colonel Burr will specify, a prompt and 
frank avowal or denial will be given. 



No. VIII. 

June 26, 1804. 

Sir. — The letter which you yesterday delivered me, and your subsequent 
communication, in Colonel Burr's opinion, evince no disposition on the 
part of General Hamilton to come to a satisfactory accommodation. The 
injury complained of and the reparation expected, are so definitely 
expressed in Colonel Burr's letter of the 21st instant, that there is not per- 
ceived a necessity for further explanation on his part. The difficulty that 
would result from confining the inquiry to any particular times and occa- 
sions must be manifest. The denial of a specific conversation only would 
leave strong implications that on other occasions improper language had 
been used. When and where injurious opinions and expressions have 
been uttered by General Hamilton must be best known to him, and of him 
only will Colonel Burr inquire. No denial or declaration Avill be satis- 
factory, unless it be general, so as wholly to exclude the idea that rumours 
derogatory to Colonel Burr's honour have originated with General Hamil- 
ton, or have been fairly inferred from any thing he has said. A definite 
reply to a requisition of this nature was demanded by Colonel Burr's letter 
of the 21st instant. This being refused, invites the alternative alluded to 
in General Hamilton's letter of the 20th. 

It was required by the position in which the controversy was placed by 
General Hamilton on Friday last, and I was immediately furnished with 
a communication demanding a personal interview. The necessity of this 
measure has not, in the opinion of Colonel Burr, been diminished by the 
General's last letter, or any communication which has since been received. 
I am consequently again instructed to deliver you a message, as soon as 
it may be convenient for you to receive it. I beg therefore you will be so 
good as to inform me at what hour I can have the pleasure of seeing you. 

Your most obedient and very humble servant, 

W. P. VAN NESS 

Nathaniel Pendleton, Esq. 



48 
No. IX. 



.Timo 20. 1804. 



Sir.— I havo roniimmicntcn tlic li-ftn- wliifli you did iiif tlif honour to 
write to mo of this date, to Ccncral llniiiiltcui. 'I'h.e expectations now dis- 
closed on tlie part of ("olonci Uuii-. ai)iicar to liini to liavc jri'^atly extcndt'd 
tlie ori;.'inal f;r(>und of in<iuii'y. and instead of ])r('S('ntiUK a i)artic\ilar and 
(lefinito cast' for cxiilanati.m. sccni to aim at notliinK less than an incpiisi- 
tion into liis most conlidcntiai conversations, as well as otliers. throuKli 
the whole period of iiis accinaintance with Colonel Burr. 

Wliile he was prejiared to meet the i)articular case fairly and fidly. he 
thinks it inadmissible that he should be expected to answer at larpe as to 
everythinj; tliat li(> may iiossil)ly liave said in iclation to the character of 
Colonel Kurr at any time or upon any occasion. 'IMiouph he is not conscious 
that any diaries which are in circulation to tlie prejudice of Colonel Burr 
have originated witli him, except one which may liave been so considered, 
and which has lony since been fully ex))lained between Colonel Burr and 
himself— yet lie can not consent to l»e (luestioned generally as to any 
rumours wliicli may be atloat derogatory to the character of Colon«>l Burr. 
without specitication of the several rumours, many of them probably un- 
known to him. He does not. however, mean to authorize any conclusion 
as to the real nature of his conduct in relation to Colonel Burr, by his de- 
clining so loose and vague a basis of explanation, and he disavows an un- 
willingness to come to a satisfactory, provided it be an honourable, accom- 
modation. His ol).iection is, the very indefinite ground which Colonel Burr 
has assumed, in wliicli he is sorry to l)e alile to discern nothing short of 
predetermined liostility. Presuming, therefore, that it will lie adliered to. 
he has instructed me to receive the message wliicli you have it in charge 
to deliver. For this puqiose I shall be at liome and at your comm.-ind to- 
morrow morning from S to 10 o'clock. 

I have the honour to be, respectfully, your obedient servant, 

NATHANIEL PENDLETON. 

AYilliani P. Van Ness. Esq. 



No. X. 

Sjr — The letter which I had tlie honour to reoeive from you. undiM* date 
of yesterday, states, among other things, tliat in General Hamilton's opin- 
ion, Colonel Burr has taken a very indelinite ground, in which he evinces 
nothing short of predetermined hostility, and that General Hamilton thinks 
it inadmissible that the inquiry should extend to his confidential as well as 
other conversations. In this Coloncd Burr can only reply, that secret 
whispers traducing his fame, and impeaching his honour, are, at least, 
equally in.iurious with slanders publicly uttered; that General Hamilton 
had, at no time, and in no place, a right to use any such iniurious expres- 
sions; and that the partial negative he is disposed to give, Avith the reser- 
vations he wishes to make, are proofs that he h;is done the injury specified. 



41) 

Colonel Rurr's request was, in the first instance, proposed in a form tlie 
most simple, in order tliat General Hamilton might give to the affair that 
course to whieh he might be induced by liis temper and his knowledge of 
facts. Colonel Burr trusted with confidence, that from the frankness of a 
soldier and the candour of a gentleman, he might expect an ingenuous 
declaration. That if, as he had reason to believe. General Hamilton had 
used expressions derogatory to liis honour, lie would have had the mag- 
nanimity to retract them; and that if, from his language, in.iurions infer- 
ences had been improperly drawn, he would liave perceived the propriety 
of correcting errors, which might thus have been widely diffused. With 
these impressions, Colonel Burr was greatly surprised at receiving a letter 
which he considered as evasive, and which in manner he deemed not al- 
together decorous. In one ex]iectation, however, he was not wholly de- 
ceived, for the close of General Hamilton's letter contained an intimation 
that if Colonel Burr should dislike his refusal to acknowledge or deny, he 
was ready to meet the consequences. This Colonel Burr deemed a sort 
of defiance, and would have felt justified in making it the basis of an 
Immediate message. But as the communication contained something con- 
cerning the indefiniteness of the request; as he believed it rather the otf- 
spring of false pride than of reflection, and as he felt the utmost reluctance 
to proceed to extremities, while any other hope remained, his request was 
repeated in terms more explicit. The replies and propositions on the part 
of General Hamilton, have, in Colonel Burr's opinion, been constantly in 
substance the same. 

Colonel Burr disavows all motives of predetermined hostility, a charge 
by which he thinks insult added to injury. He feels as a gentleman should 
feel, when his honour is impeached or assailed; and without sensations of 
hostility or wishes of revenge, he is determined to vindicate that honour 
at such hazard as the nature of the case demands. 

The length to which this correspondence has extended, only tending to 
prove that the satisfactory redress, earnestly desired, can not be obtained, 
he deems it useless to offer any proposition except the simple message 
which I shall now have the honour to deliver. 

I have the honour to be with great respect, your obedient and very 

humble servant, 

W. P. VAN NESS. 
Wednesday morning, June 27, 1804. 

General Hamilton did not regard this last letter as ending the corres- 
pondence, and under that impression he gave Judge Pendleton the fol- 
lowing Bcmarks on the Letter of June 27, ISOJf.- 

No. 11. 

" Whether the observations of this letter are designed merely to justify 
the result which is indicated in the close of the letter, or may be intended 
to give an opening for rendering anything explicit which may have been 



50 

(li't'iiu'd v;iK'"' licrt'torort'. (•:iii only Iir jndiriMl of liy the stMnid. At any 
rate it apiioiirs to nu' necessary not to he niisnndcistood. Mr. Tcndlcton 
is therefore antlutrized tv) say, that in tlie eoni'se of tlie present discussion, 
written or verbal. IIhtc has liccii no inlciitioii in evade, defy, oi- insult. l)nt 
a sincere disi)osition to ;i\(iid exti'emil ies if it <<(uld l)e done willi lu'oiiriety. 
With this view, (ieneral II;nnill'ou li:is been re;idy to enter into a fraidv and 
free explanation on any and I'very object of a specitic nature; but not to 
answer a general and abstract inciniry, endu-acins a i)eriod too lonjj for 
any accurate recollection, and exposing Iiiiu to unpleasant criticisms from, 
or unpleasant discussions with, any and every person, who may have 
understood him in an unfavorable sense. This (admitting that he could 
answer in a manner the most satisfactory to ("(donel Burr) he should deem 
Inadmissible, in principle and precedent, and humiliating in practice. To 
this, therefore, he can never sulnnit. I'^reipient allusion has lieen made to 
slanders said to be in circulation. Whether they are openly or in wlnspers, 
they have a form and shape, and might' be specified. 

If the alternative alluded to in the close of the letter is definitely 
tendered, it must be accepted; the time, place and manner, to be afterward 
regulated. I should not think it rii;ht in the midst of a Circuit Court to 
withdraw my services from those who may have confided important inter- 
ests to me, and expose them to the embarrassment of seeking other cotmsel, 
who may not have time to be sufficiently instructed in their causes. I shall 
also want a little time to make some arrangements respecting my own 
affairs." 



Press Comments. 

Evening Post, We<Ines<1a!i, Jnhj 18, ISOJ,. 

The Mornhifi Chronicle of yesterday contains a statement relative to the 
fatal duel introduced in the following manner: 

" The gentleman who accompanied Colonel Burr to the field in the late 
unfortunate contest comes forward reluctantly with a statement on the 
subject, at a moment when any publication of the Icind may expose his 
principal to judicial embarrassment, perhaps to very serious hazard." 

" At 9 o'clock on Monday, the 25th inst., I called on General Hamilton, 
at his house in Cedar street, to present the letter (No. 4, already alluded to), 
and with instructions for a verbal communication, of which the following 
notes (No. 7), handed me by Mr. Burr, were to be the basis. * i- * ^pjig 
substance of which, though in terms as much softened as my instruc- 
tions would permit, Avas accordinglj' communicated to General Hamilton." 
(No. 7.) 

" Aaron Burr, far from conceiving that rivalship authorized a latitude 
not otherwise justifial>le, always feels greater delicacy in such cases, and 
would think it meanness to speak of a rival but in terms of respect; to do 



51 

justice to his merits; to be silent of liis foibles. Such has invariably been 
his conduct towards Jay, Adams and Hamilton; the only three who can be 
supposed to have stood in that relation to him. 

" That he has too much reason to believe that in regard to Mr. Hamilton 
there has been no reciprocity; for several years his name has been lent to 
the support of base slanders. He has never had the generosity, the mag- 
nanimity, or the candor to contradict or disavow. Burr forbears to par- 
ticularize, as it could only tend to produce new irritations; but having 
made great sacrifices for the salve of harmony, having exercised forbear- 
ance until it approached to humiliation, he has seen no effect produced by 
such conduct, but a I'epetition of injury. He is obliged to conclude that 
there is on the part of Mr. Hamilton a settled and implacable malevolence; 
that he will never cease in his conduct toward Mr. Burr to violate those 
courtesies of life, and that hence he has no alternative but to announce 
these things to the world which, consistently with Mr. Burr's ideas of 
propriety, can be done in no way but that which he has adopted. He Is 
Incapable of revenge, still less is he capable of imitating the conduct of 
Mr. Hamilton, by committing secret depredations on his fame and char- 
acter; but these things must have an end." 



[Note 5.] 
DEATH PLACE OF GENERAL HAMILTON. 

Gay's Fopular Histori/ United States, Vol. 4, Page 7//9. 

" There is a prevalent error in regard to the house in which Hamilton 
died, which is worth correcting if only to show how little tradition is to be 
trusted. 

The duel between Hamilton and Burr was fought at Weehawken, in 
New Jersey, on the morning of July 11, 1804; Hamilton, mortally wounded, 
was immediately taken back to New York, the boat landing at what is now 
the foot of Gansevoort street, and he was carried to the nearest house, that 
of his friend, William Bayard, Esq. 

The house stood between the present Greenwich and Washington streets, 
about the centre of what is now Horatio street. 

The common belief is that the house noAV standing at No. 82 Jane street 
Is the Bayard house where Hamilton died, but that house stood a block 
fux-ther north, on Horatio street, as we have just explained. The Jane 
street house (No. 82) was a country seat, known at that time as the Lud- 
low house. The Bayard and Ludlow estates join on the line of Jane 
street; the former occupying the block north, the latter to the south of that 
street. 

When, about 50 years ago, the land of that neighborhood was filled In 
from about the line of Washington street to the present bank of the 
river, and streets opened and graded, the Ludlow house was turned around 
and placed on the south side of Jane street (82) and the Bayard house 
demolished. 



52 

Till' l.Mtc Hull, llciiiy .Mciiis. of New York, <)ccui>i»'(l liotli lliose houses 
nltoriiatcl.v for iiwiiiy .vcmts. Ilis cliildrcii fxvvw u]i in tliiMii. mikI from two 
of his sons, Henry and Cliai'lrs. ihcst' facts arc ohlaincd. ()ii(" of ihose 
gentU-niiMi has preserved a water-folor drawinj; l)y his father of the Lud- 
low house, while his family occupied it, and of its identity with the house 
82 Jane street there can be no question." 

11 isttjiii-iil ]la(/ii:ini\ ISllU, \ HJ. 11), lUujr ,7, nf Siipii. 

" It is not so well known where Hamilton spent the iiifiht befon* the duel 
— how he reached Weehawken — whither he Avas taken after his fall — or 
where he died. 

He speut the night at home and died at Mr. Bayard's, in Greenwich, 
but where was that home and where was Mr. Bayard's? 

His otHce at that time, July 11, 1804, wa.s at No. 12 Garden street, now 
Exchange place (opposite the southeast corner of the New York custom- 
house), and his city residence Avas at No. 54 Cedar street (which^ from 
appearances, is still standing and occupied by a wholesale drug firm on 
the south side of the street about midway between William and Nassau). 
His country seat, called The Grange, was situated some uiue miles above 
the city (having been built by him some two years before his death). 

It is said on competent authority that the General was at his ottice 
throughout the day preceding the duel, and that his intercoiu'se with his 
clerks was marked by no peculiarity of manner. It is just as evident to 
us that he speut the last night, before the duel, at The Grange with a por- 
tion, at least, of his family, if not with every member of it. 

John C. Hamilton, his son and biographer, states that his father's last 
night prior to the duel was spent at his city house, 54 Cedar street, evi- 
dently in the absence of his wife; that he pleasantly invited one of his 
little sons to sleep with him; that he heard the child (presumably John C. 
Hamilton) himself, repeat the Lord's praj^er, w'hich his mother had taught 
him, etc. But, for reasons satisfactory to ourself, we prefer to believe that 
the narration of John C. Hamilton in these particulars is entirely incor- 
rect; that the city house was then closed for the summer, and that his 
children, if not his wife, were at The Grange, and that he spent his last 
night at that place; and that he called on his way at the doctor's (David 
Hosack) country seat at Bloomingdale; he drove thence to the city, in the 
morning, on his errand of honor. 

Of this last we have the evidence of Dr. Hosack, tlie attending surgeon: 
General Hamilton drove to the wharf at the foot of the Great Kiln road, 
now Gansevoort street, in company with his second. Judge Nathaniel Pen- 
dleton, and the surgeon, Avho had been mutually agreed on. Dr. David 
Hosack. LeaAing the carriage, with orders to await their return, the 
party took a boat from this point and AA'cre rowed to Weehawken, where 
they arrived a little before 7 in the morning. The Vice-President of the 
United States, Avith his second, Wm. P. Van N(>ss, Ksq., agreeal)le to the 
terms agreed on, was already on the ground, and both Avere busily engaged 



53 

with their coats off iii clearing away the bushes, limbs of trees, etc., " so 
as to make a fair opening " for the purposes of the meeting. Salutations 
were exchanged as required by the Code, and details arranged. The choic.e 
of position and word (to fire) fell to Hamilton's second. Hamilton fell. 

The dying man " to all appearances lifeless," after a brief examination 
of his wound was borne from the field in the arms of Pendleton and Ho- 
saclv, and as they approached the river, the oarsmen assisted them. He 
was laid on the bottom of the boat, " apparently dead," and it was immedi- 
ately pushed off, heading for the little wharf where the carriage had been 
left an hour before. While on the river, however, either from the effects of 
the surgeon's treatment, or from the fresh air from the water, he rallied 
sufficiently to speak and give directions for the transmission of the intelli- 
gence to his family; and he appeared to have even harbored a hope that 
the end would be favorable. 

The wharf toward which the boat was heading was at the foot of Ganse- 
voort street (Great Kiln Road.) This was an ordinary country road afford- 
ing a communication with the neighboring city by way of Greenwich Lane 
(now straightened and called Greenwich avenue), and by Avay of Sandy 
Lane, (which, after receiving Greenwich Lane near the corner of Sixth 
avenue and Eleventh street entered Broadway near where Waverly Place 
now is). 

On the southerly side of the Great Kiln Road, extending from the river 
to Greenwich Road was the country place of Mr. William Bayard, a friend 
of General Hamilton, and on the present line of Horatio street. A little 
below the center of the block between Greenwich and Washington streets, 
stood the fine old mansion which was his residence. It was of wood, with 
a hall extending from front to rear in its center, and its fine position over- 
looking the river rendered it a conspicuous object in that vicinity. 

When General Hamilton and party left the wharf a servant of Mr. 
Bayard had seen them and told his master of the circumstances, and the 
latter, probably acquainted with the causes that had led to the meeting, 
" too well conjectured the fatal errand and foreboded the dreadful result." 
He evidently watched for their return, and as the boat ueared the wliarf 
where he was, i)erceiving that only Judge Pendleton and the surgeon 
stood up in the stern sheets, " he clasped his hands in the most violent 
apprehension." A cot was brought from the mansion and the wounded 
man removed to " the right hand front room," where Thursday the 12th at 
2 o'clock, he died. 

The body Avas subsequently removed to the house of his brother-in-law, 
John B. Churcli. No. 2a Robinson street, now Park Place, where on Satur- 
day the 14th, it was taken to Trinity Churchyard and buried with military 
and civic honors. 

On June 14, 18(i(), in company Avith our venerable friend, John Groshon, 
Esq., we visited the site of the ancient Bayard estate at the foot of Great 
Kiln Road, and in tlie midst of tlie busy scenes of that familiar neighbor- 



54 

hood — a part of tlic city in wliicli many years of our boyhood and early 
manhood wert' spent — he pointed ont to ns the well-known old frame dwell- 
Intr, No. 82 Jane street, as tlie ancient residence of A^■iilianl Bayard, and 
the death place of Alexander Hamilton. We knew the old house when a 
lad; it is iu good order, and notwithstanding tihe disappearance of the green- 
house which formerly ll.inkcd it on the east, we could not fail to recognize 
the old landmark as one of liir most interest in^ e<litices, historically con- 
sidered in the United States. 

Jlorrisiana, N. V., June 15, ISCtJ. H. B. D." 

Noti'.— II. B. D. was Henrj^ B. Davidson, editor of the Historical 
Magazine. 



[Note 6.] 
THE DUELLING GROUND. 

Extrmi from the Same Mopaziiie, Vol. 10, Siipp., Piuje /f5, Being Recollection of 
J. R. S., of a Visit to the Weehawken Duelling Ground. 
After referring to the foregoing article, the writer states: 
" On July 4, 1830, a small party of pleasure seekers from New York 
visited the justly celebrated spot. Rumor had it that many such meetings 
" paired combats " had taken place on the same spot, thi'ee of which were 
known to have been fatal, viz., Hamilton (father and son), and one Bird, 
having been killed there. 

The sou, Philip Hamilton, was killed by George Backer, an attorney, in 
1802. George Eacker subsequently died of consumption in 1804, and a 
stone marks his grave in the lower end of the ground on the Vesey street 
side of St. Paul's church. Eacker had delivered a Fourth of July oration, '^^ 
in which he criticised Alexander Hamilton, etc. Subsequently he attended 
a theater, occupying a box in company with Miss Livingston; in the ad- 
joining box sat Pliilip Hamilton, then 19 years of age, and his companion, 
a Mr. Price, and observing Eacker iu the adjacent box they both indulged 
in comments on Backer's oration, intended for the ear of Miss Livingston. 
Eacker called them out into the lobby of the theater, and so insulted both 
of them as to necessitate a challenge on their part, resulting in a duel on 
November 23d. The duel with Price was first fought and four rounds ex- 
changed without injury to either party. Young Hamilton's second en- 
deavored to avoid the necessity of the duel with his principal and spoke of 
his youth and other extenuating circumstances, but without effect. Eacker 
adding further insult which rendered the duel absolutely unavoidable. 
Y'oung Hamilton had. like his father, determined to reserve his first fire, 
and, like his father, was shot down in the first round and died 20 hours 
later, on the following day, and it is said that his father when informed 
of the meeting, without knowing its sad result, in hurrying to a physician, 
fell in a faint on the Avay. 



55 

Onr approach to the spot was down a somewhat steep, rough and woody 
declivity upon tlie Weehawken shore. From the limited line spot where 
the duelists had met there seemed almost a real flight of steps to the 
watei-'s edge of the rocky shore Avhere they affected a landing. A portion 
of a granite boulder, opposite which, tradition said, Hamilton stood, and 
upon which he reclined to break his fall, yet remained, rising perhaps a 
foot above the ground. It had originally risen some two feet above the 
surface, but it had been broken off and carried awaj- by visitors anterior 
to our A'isit. (The editor's note suggests that this was probably the monu- 
ment erected by the St. Andrew's Society to the memory of General Ham- 
ilton on the spot where he fell). I think 10 paces had separated Hamilton 
and Burr, and anxious to know where the latter stood, I paced from the 
rock southward, and, as the leveled space was so limited, there being only 
a small belt of even ground, one could well imagine himself in the very 
tracks of the duelists; only two or three paces further would have placed 
Burr on the ground a foot or two lower than that upon which his antago- 
nist had stood. 

Hamilton and Burr, as the late Isaac Hale Tiffany, Esq., Avho read law 
with Burr, assured the writer, had previously been personal friends, whom 
he had several times seen walking arm in arm, and who were about the 
one size; they were rather under than above the medium stature of man. 

One reason why I desired to know Burr's position was the fact that it 
had always been stated that Hamilton did not return the shot of his 
antagonist, but discharged his pistol in the air, the ball strilving the luub 
of a tree far above his head. I remember seeing beside the supposed posi- 
tion of Burr, several feet of a tree stump, perhaps six or eight inches 
through, but there was then no living tree near whose branches could ha^^ 

covered his position. 

J. R. S." 

Fort Plain, N. Y., August 13, 1866. 

[Note. — J. R. S. was J. R. Simms, the well-known historian of Schoharie 
county. His statement regarding the date of the death of Hamilton's son 
Philip is contradicted by Mrs. Lamb, who states that he was killed, or 
died, in 1801— not 1802. The date was November 24, 1801.] 

[Note. — The stone or boulder alluded to has been removed and placed on 
the Palisades immediately above the spot where the duel was fought. The 
duelling ground was for some time marked by a wooden cross, but when 
the railway was built the boulder was removed and there is now no trace 
of it left. However, on a recent visit to the spot, the writer had the 
good fortune to meet an old resident, Mr. William Engel, of Union Hill, 
N. J., who was familiar with the old landmarks, and was shown by him 
the historic ground, and certain marks or lines in the rocks above by which 
the spot could always be found. J. E. G.] 



EiriiiiKj I'ost, Jul!/ J>% JSflJf. 

" The (liU'l was fdUfrlit a littlo past 7 o'clock on llic inoriiiii« of July 11, 
l.S(i4; tlint tlic boals wore nearly or quite an liour in crossiiifx tlio river, so 
tliat Mr. r.urr (-(.ulil not |inssil.ly liavc rcaclied iionie till s.:',(i. I',urr, 
two liours at'lri' the (Inci. wi'olc a note \n .Ml-, i'riine, niai^in;,' a liusiness 
apiMiinl nicnt willi iiiin Ix'twcen S and '.» o'clock. .Mr. I'l'liiie went; l)nt 
heard notliinj;- of tlie dreadful husincss of tiie morninfr. Ho continued 
witli Mr. I'.urr for a (luarter of an hour, during which time he conducted 
hiniself towards Mr. i'rinie w iili all that case and affability so peculiar to 
him — no distress, no n'siret. no enibai'rassment. to such an extent that 
when he was afterwards informed thai I'.urr liad shot Hamilton that 
morniiif;', he stated that it could not l)e |)ossil)lc. as he had Just left Colonel 
Burr unusually cheerful, etc." 

Mrs. Ijnuh\s Citi/ of Kciv York, Vol. 2, Pdi/rs .',!).l and .',i)3. 

The description of the duel, as narrated by Mrs. Lamb, is a very good 
one, and mentions some facts which I have not seen before. She slates 
that, " Dr. Hosack and Matthew L. Davis, Burr's biographer, were present 
and approached Hamilton after he fell," and that " Burr was rowed swiftly 
across the river to Kichmond Hill fsitiiated about the junction of Varick 
and Charlton streets, at one time the head(iuarters of General Washing- 
ton, subsequently turned into a theatre and circus), where he took a bath, 
and immediately thereafter entertained a gentleman who called upon him; 
his conversation indicating a state of feeling inconsistent with the experi- 
ence through which he had just passed; that this friend, returning to the 
city in the early morning hours, and hearing the reports of the duel, had 
denied the report, stating that he had just left Colonel Burr, with whom he 
had breakfasted, and that the reports could not possibly be true. 

[Note. — This may refer to a Mr. Prinu'; set' ante, extract from Kniiiiifi 
Post of Wednesday, July 18, 1804.] 

The coroner's investigation, lasting twelve days, resulted in a ver- 
dict " that Aaron Burr, A'ice-President of the United States, was guilty of 
the murder of Alexander Hamilton, and that Wm. P. Van Ness and 
Nathaniel Pendleton "svere accessories." (Davis was locked up for con- 
tempt in refusing to answer questions on the examination.) 

" That on July 21st, Burr, who had remained in Richmond Hill since the 
duel, not daring to show himself in i)ultlic, departed in a barge at night 
through New Jersey to Philadelphia, and thence to Soiith Carolina, where 
his daughter, Theodosia, resided. That while passing through Philadel- 
phia he renewed his attentions to a beautiful belle of that city, and only 
left when he learned that both the States of New York and New Jersey 
had procured orders for his arrest, and liad made requisitions upon the 
Governor of Pennsylvania for the delivery of his person." 

" Richmond Hill was subsequently sold for debt and purchased by John 
Jacob Astor, for ?25,00(), which was divided among the creditors of Aaron 
Burr." 



59 

Mrs. Lamb, in the same volume, at page 49G, gives tlie following: 

" ^Mexander Hamilton, born January 11, 1757; died. July 12, 1804; mar- 
ried Elizabeth Schuyler, December 14, 1780. 
Philip, born, January 22, 1782. Died, November 24, 1801. 
Angelica, born, September 25, 1784. 

Upon the death of her favorite brother, Philip, she was so 
shocked that when she learned of the death of her father she 
completely lost her reason, and became a charge upon her 
mother, with whom she lived until her subsequent death. 
Alexander, born May 16, 1786. 
James Alexander, born April 14, 1788. 
John Church, born August 22, 1794. 
William Stephen, born August 4, 1797. 
Eliza, born November 20, 1799; Mrs. St. Aug."" Holly. 
Philip 2d, born June 7, 1802; married Miss McLane, of Poughkeepsle; 
had two sons, of which Dr. Allan McLane Hamilton now sur- 
vives." 



[Note 7.] 
STATEMENT OF THE SECONDS. 

The following statement was agreed upon and corrected by the seconds 
of the parties on Monday preceding the duel: 

" Colonel Burr arrived first on the ground, as had been previously 
agreed; when General Hamilton arrived the parties exchanged saluta- 
tions, and the seconds proceeded to make their arrangements. They 
measured the distance, ten full paces, and cast lots for the choice of posi- 
tions, as also to determine by whom the word should be given, both of 
which fell to the second of General Hamilton. They then proceeded to 
load the pistols in each other's presence, after which the parties took their 
stations. The gentleman who was to give the word, then explained to the 
pai-ties the rules which were to govern them in firing, which were as 
follows: ' The parties being placed at their stations, the second who 
gives the word shall ask them whether they are ready, being answered in 
the affirmative, he shall say ' Present!' after this the parties shall present 
and fire when they please. If one fires before the other, the opposite 
second shall say, ' one, tAvo, three, fire,' and he shall then fire or lose his 
fire.' He then asked if they were prepared; . being answered in the 
affirmative, he gave the word ' Present,' as had been agreed on, and both 
parties presented and fired in succession— the intervening time is not 
expressed, as the seconds do not precisely agree on that point. Tlie fire 
of Colonel Burr took effect, and General Hamilton almost instantly fell. 
Colonel Burr then advanced toward General Hamilton, with a manner 
and gesture that appeared to General Hamilton's friend to be expressive 
of regret, but without speaking, turned about and withdrew, being urged 



GO 



fniiii lilt' Held Ity his friciHl. ms Iims licfii sulist-ciut'iitly stMtcd. witli ji view 
Id prevent his heiug recojiiiized liy tlie siirv:t'Oii ;iiiil l)nrK<'iiieii. who \v<'re 
Ilieii Miiproiiehiiiii-. No t'urtliei' coinnuiiiieMtion took ])lace helweeii llie 
priiicil):ils, miu! t!ie luir.uc thiit ejirried Colonel I'.uit iiiiiiiedi.-iiely i-elunied 
to till' city. Wo conceive it ])roi)er to :idd tlnit the conduci' of l he p;irfies 
in this interview was pertVctly proper, ;is suited the occasion." 



I Note S.] 

MR. COLEMAN'S ACCOUNT, WITH STATEMENT OF ATTENDING 

PHYSICIAN. 

" It. Avas nearly 7 in the niorniniLi; when the boat which carried Ceneral 
Hamilton, his friend, Mr. Pendleton, and the sur.u'eon mutually aiireed 
on. I»r. Hosack, reached tliat pai-f of the Jersey shore called the Wealiawk. 
There they fonnd Mr. Burr and his friend, Mr. Van Ness, who, as I am 
told, had been employed sinc«' their arrival, wit'li coats off, in clearing: 
away the bushes, limbs of trees, etc.. so as to make a fair opening;-. The 
parties in a few moments wei'e at their allotted situations; when Mr. 
Pendleton gave the word, Mr. Burr raised his arm slowly, deliberately 
took his aim, and tired. His ball entered (General IlamiltDn's ri,!.dit side; 
as soon as the bullet struck Idm, he raised hiniscdf involuntarily on his 
toes, turned a little to the left (at which moment his pistol went off), and 
fell upon his face. Mr. Pendleton immediately called out for Dr. Hosack, 
who, in running to tlie spot, had to pass Mr. Van Xess and Colonel Burr; 
but Van Ness had the cool precaution to cover his principal with an 
umbrella, so that Dr. Hosack should not be able to swear that he saw him 
on the field. What passed aft^r this the reader will have in the follow- 
ing letter from Dr. Hosack himself, in answer to my note: 

" August 17, 1804. 

"Dear Sir.— To comjdy with your request is a painful task; but I will 
repress my feelings while I endeavour to furnish you with an enumera- 
tion of such particulars relative to the melancholy end of our beloved 
friend Hamilton as dwell most forcibly on my recollection. 

" When called to him, upon ins receiving the fatal wound. I found him 
half sitting on the ground, supported in the arms of Mr. Pendleton. His 
countenance of death I shall never forget. He had at that instant just 
strength to say, " This is a mortal wound. Doctor;" when lie sunk away, 
and became to all appearance lifeless. I immediately stripi)ed up his 
clothes, and soon, alas! ascertained that the direction of the ball miist 
have been through some vital part. (*For the satisfaction of some of 
General Hamilton's friends, I examined his body after death, in presence 
of Dr. Post and two other gentlemen. I discovered that the ball struck 
the second or third false rib, and fractured it about in the middle; it then 



Gl 

passed throuiih the livor and diapliragui, and, as nearly as we could ascer- 
tain without a minute examination, lodged in the first or second lumbar 
vertebra. The vertebra in which it was lodged was considerably splin- 
tered, so that the spiculae were distinctly perceptible to the finger. About 
a pint of clotted blood was found in the cavity of the belly, wliich had 
probably been effused from the divided vessels of the liver.) His pulses 
were not to be felt; his respiration was entirely suspended; and upon lay- 
ing my hand on his heart, and perceiving no motion there, I considered 
him as irrecoveralily gone. I, however, observed to Mr. Pendleton that 
tlie only eliance for his reviving was immediately to get him upon the 
Avater. M'e therefore lifted him up, and carried him out of the wood, to 
tlie margin of the bank, where the bargemen aided us in conveying him 
into the boat, which immediately put off. During all this time I could 
not discover the least symptom of returning life. I now rubbed his face, 
lips and temples with spirits of hartsliorne, applied it to his neck and 
breast, and to the wrists and palms of his hands, and endeavored to pour 
some into his mouth. When we had got, as I should .iudge, about fifty 
yards from the shore, some imperfect efforts to breathe were for tlie first 
time manifest; in a few minutes he sighed, and became sensible to the 
impression of the hartshorne, or the fi'esli air of the water. He breathed; 
his eyes, hardly opened, wandered, without fixing upon any object; to our 
great joy he at length spoke. " My vision is indistinct," were his first 
words. His pulse became more perceptible; his respiration more regidar; 
his sight returned. I tlien examined the wound, to know if tliere was any 
dangerous discharge of blood; upon slightly pressing his side it gave him 
pain; on which I desisted. Soon after recovering his sight, he happened 
to cast his eye upon the case of pistols, and observing the one that he had 
had in his hand lying on the outside, he said: "Take care of that pistol; 
it is undischarged, and still cocked; it may go off and do harm; Pendleton 
knows (attempting to turn his head towards him) that I did not inbmd to 
fire at him." " Yes," said Mr. Pendleton, understanding his wish, " I have 
already made Dr. Hosack acquainted with your determination as to that." 
He then closed his eyes and remained calm, without any disposition to 
speak; nor did he say much afterwards, excepting in reply to my ques- 
tions as to his feelings. He asked me, once or twice, how I found his 
pulse; and he informed me that his lower extremities had lost all feeling; 
manifesting to me that he entertained no hopes that he should long sur- 
vive. I changed the posture of his limbs, but to no purpose; they had 
totally lo.st tflaeir sensibility. Perceiving that we approached the shore, 
he said, " Let Mrs. Hamilton be immediately sent for— let the event be 
gradually broken to her; but give her hopes." Looking up we saw his 
friend, Mr. Bayard, standing on the wharf in great agitation. He had 
been told by his servant that General Hamilton, Mr. Pendleton and myself 
had crossed the river in a boat together, and too Avell he conjectured the 
fatal errand, and foreboded the dreadful result. Perceiving, as we came 



62 

iicMrtT. tli;il Mr. I'mdlclnii .-iiid iiiysflf mily s:it up in tlic stem sliccts, lie 
claspoil his Imiuls to.i^'rilicr in tlic most vidlciit ;i])i)ri'lieusion; bill wlicii I 
(■.•illt'd lu liiin 1(1 liavc M col iiic|i;irc(l. .-iml lir nl tlic same nioniciil s;i\v liis 
poor friend lyinj; in Uic l»(»ttoni of the boat, lie tlircw up his eyes and hurst 
into .1 lh»o<l of tears and lamentation. Ilannlton alone appoavetl tranquil 
and coinposod. We then eonveyed him as teuderly as possible up to the 
house. The distresses of this amiahle family were such that till the 
first shock was abated, they were scarcely able to summon fortitude 
enough to yield snfhcient assistance to their dying friend. 

" Upon our reaching the house he became more languid, occasioned 
probably by the agitation of his removal from the boat. I gave him a 
little weak wine and water. When he recovered his feelings, he com- 
plained of pain in his back; we immediately undressed him, laid him In 
bed, and darkened the room. 1 then gave him a large anodyne, which I 
frequently repeated. During the first day he took upwards of an ounce 
of laudanum; and tepid anodyne fomentations were also applied to those 
parts nearest the seat of his pain — yet were his sufferings, din-ing the 
whole of the day, almost intolerable. (*As his habit was delicate and had 
been rendered more feeble by ill health, particularly by a disorder of the 
stomach and bowels, I carefully avoided all those remedies which are 
usually indicated on such occasions.) I had not the shadow of a hope 
of his recovery, and Dr. Post, whom I reiiuested might be sent for imme- 
diately on our reaching Mr. Bayard's house, united witli me in this opinion. 
General Rey, the French Consul, also had the goodness to invite the sur- 
geons of the French frigates in our harbour, as they had had much experi- 
ence in gunshot wounds, to render their assistance. They immediately 
came; but to prevent his being disturbed I stated to them his situation, 
described the nature of his wound and the direction of the ball, Avith all 
the symptoms that could enable them to form an opinion as to the event. 
One of the gentlemen then accompanied me to the bedside. The result 
was a confirmation of the opinion tliat had already been expressed by Dr. 
Post and myself. 

" During the night he had some imperfect sleep; l>ut the succeeding 
morning his symptoms Avere aggravated, attended, however, with a dimi- 
nution of pain. His mind retained all its usual strength and composure. 
The great source of his anxiety seemed to be in his sympathy with his 
half-distracted wife and children. He spoke to me frequently of them— 
' My beloved wife and children,' were always his expressions. But his 
fortitude triumphed over his situation, dreadful as it was; once, indeed, 
at the sight of his children brouglit to the bedside together, seven in num- 
ber, his utterance forsook him, he opened his eyes, gave them one look, 
and closed them again, till they were taken away. lAs a proof of his 
extraordinary composure of mind, let me add, that he alone could calm 
the frantic grief of their mother. ' Remember, my Eliza, you are a 
Christian,' were the expressions with which he frequently, with a firm 



63 

voice, but in a patliotic and impressive manner, addressed her. His 

words, and tlie tone in wliieli they w^ere uttered, will never be effaced 

from iny memory. At about 2 o'clock, as the public well knows, lie 

expired." 

" Incorrupta fides — nudaque Veritas 

Quando ullum iuvenient paremV 

^Nlultis ille (luidem tlel)ilis oecidit." 

" I am, Sir, your friend and humble serv't, 

"DAVID HOSACK." 
" Wm. Coleman, Esq." 



[Note 9.] 
THE MEMORABLE DISCOURSE AGAINST DUELLING. 

BY ELIPHALET NOTT, A. :M. 

•Delivei-ed in the North Dutch Church, Albany, July 29, 1804. 

Text: "How are the Mighty Fallen!" (II Samuel, 1, 19.) 

"The occasion explains the choice of my subject. A subject on Avhich 
I enter In obedience to your request. You have assembled to express your 
elegiac sorrows, and sad and solemn weeds cover you. 

" Before such an audience, and on such an occasion, I enter on the duty 
assigned me with trembling. Do not mistake my meaning. I tremble 
indeed — not, however, through fear of failing to merit your applause; for 
what have I to do with that when addressing the dying, and treading on 
the ashes of the dead. Not through fear of failing, justly, to portray the 
character of that great man who is at once the theme of my encomium 
and regret. He needs not eulogy. His work is finished, and death has 
removed him beyond my censure, and I would fondly hope, through grace, 
above my praise. 

"You will ask, then, why I tremble? I tremble to think that I am 
called to attack from this place a crime, the veiy idea of which almost 
freezes one with horror — a crime, too, which exists among the polite and 
polished orders of society, and which is accompanied with every aggrava- 
tion; committed with cool deliberation — and openly in the face of day! 

" But I have a duty to perform. And difficult and awful as that duty 
is, I will not shrink from it. 

" Would to God my talents were adequate to the occasion. But such 
as they are, I devoutly proffer them to unfold the nature and counteract 
the influence of that barbarous custom, which, like a resistless torrent, 
is undermining the foundations of civil government— breaking down the 
barriers of social happiness, and sweeping away virtue, talents, and domes- 
tic felicity, in its desolating course. 

" Another and an illustrious character — a father — a general — a states- 
man—the very man who stood on an eminence and without a rival, among 



64 

s;i;i('s Mild liciiics, ilic riiliirc Impc of liis ciniiitrs- in dniij^'cr — tliis man, 
.vit'ltliii}^ to lilt' iiilliiciirc dF a custoiii wliicli deserves our eternal repi-()l>a- 
tion, has boon Itroii.^'ht tu an uiUinioly end. 

■■ That the deallis of ureat and nsefni men should he jiarl i.-ujarly noticed 
is eiiuall.v I he dictate of reason and revelation. The te.ars of Israel Mowed 
at the decease of ydod .losiali. and to his iiieinor\' the Iniieral women 
rhanted the solonin dii-.^c. 

"But noilhor oxam]iles nor ar.mimenis are necessary U) wake the sym- 
pathies of a t^ratel'nl ]M'o]ile on siadi occasions. The doalh of jtublic bene- 
factors surcharges the lieart, and it spontaneously dislmnleiis itself 1>y a 
flow of sorrows. 

" Such was the doalh of Washiuf^tou, to onilialni whoso nioniory, 
and porpotual'O whoso doaihloss famo, wo lent our fooble, but unnecessary 
services. Such, also, .and more peculiarly so, has been the death of 
Haniillon. 

"The lidiii.i.^s of llio foriiK'r moved us— mournfully moved us — and we 
wept. Tlie a<-couiit of tlie Ijittei' chilled our hopes, and curdled our blood. 
The former died in a liood old a^e; the latter was cut off in the midst 
of his usefulness. The former was a customary providence; avo saw in it, 
if I may sjioak so, the finger of Cod, and rested in His sovoreis'nty. The 
latter is not attended with this soothing circumstance. 

" The fall of Hamilton owes its existence to mad delilieration, and Is 
marked by violence. The time, the place, the circumstances, are aiTanged 
with barbarous coolness. The instrument of death is leA'elled in daylight, 
and with well-directed skill pointed at his heart. Alas! the event has 
proven that it was but too well directed. Wounded, mortally wounded, 
on the v<H"y spot which still smoked with the blood of a favourite son, 
into the arms of his indiscreet and cruel friend the father fell. 

"Ah! had he fallen in the course of nature; or jeopardizing his life In 
defence of his country, had he fallen — but he did not. He fell in single 
combat— pardon my mistake, he did not fall in single combat. His noble 
nature refused to endanger the life of his antagonist. But he exposed 
his own life. This was his crime; and the sacredness of my office forbids 
that I should hesitate explicitly to declare it so. 

" He did not hesitate to declare it so himself. ' My religious and moral 
principles are strongly opposed to duelling.' These are his words, before 
he ventured to the field of death. ' I view the late transaction with sor- 
row and contrition.' These are his words after his return. 

" Humiliating end of illustrious greatness! How are the mighty fallen! 
And shall the mighty thus fall? Thus shall the noblest lives be sacrificed 
and the richest blood be spilt! Tell it not in Gath; publish it not in the 
streets of Askelon! 

" Think not that the fatal issue of the late inhuman interview was 
fortuitons. No; the Hand that guides unseen the arrow of tlie archer, 
steadied and directed the arm of the duellist. And why did it thus direct 



05 

it? As a solemn meuieuto— as a loud aud awful waruiug to a eouiui unity 
where justice has slumbered— and slumbered— and slumbered— while the 
wife has been robbed of her partner, the mother of her hopes, and life 
after life rashly, and with an air of triumph, sported away. 

"And was thex-e, O my God! no other sacrifice valuable enough— would 
the cry of no other blood reach the place of retribution and wake justice, 
dozing over her awful seat? 

" But though justice should still slumber and retribution be delayed, we 
who are the ministers of tliat (iod wlio will judge tlie judges of the world, 
and whose malediction rests on him who does his work unfaithfully, we 
will not keep silence. 

" I feel, my brethren, how incongruous my subject is with the place I 
occupy. 

" It is humiliating; it is distressing in a Christian country, and in 
churches consecrated to the religion of Jesus, to be obliged to attack a 
crime which outstrips barbarism, and would even sink the character of a 
generous savage. But humiliating as it is, it is necessary. 

" And must we, then, even for a moment, forget the elevation on which 
grace hath placed us, and the liglit Avhich the gospel sheds around us? 
Must we place ourselves back in the midst of barbarism? And instead of 
hearers softened to forgiveness by the love of Jesus; filled with noble sen- 
timents towards our enemies, and waiting for occasions, after the example 
of Divinity, to do them good — instead of such hearers, must we suppose 
ourselves addressing hearts petrified to goodness, incapable of mercy, 
and boiling with revenge? Must we, O my God! instead of exhorting 
those who hear us, to go on unto perfection, adding to virtue charity, and 
to charitj' brotherly kindness — must we, as if surrounded by an auditory 
just emerging out of darkness and still cruel and ferocious, reason to con- 
vince them that revenge is improper, and that to commit deliberate mur- 
der, is sin? 

" Yes, we must do this. Repeated violations of the law, and the sanc- 
tuary, which the guilty find in public sentiment, pi'ove that it is necessary. 

" Withdraw, therefore, for a moment, ye celestial spirits — ye holy angels 
accustomed to hover roinid these altars, and listen to those strains of 
grace which heretofore have filled this House of God. Other subjects 
occupy us. Withdraw, therefore, and leave us — leave us to exliort (.'hrls- 
tian parents to restrain their vengeance, and at least to keep back their 
hands from blood — 'to exhort youth, nurtured in Christian families, not 
rasihly to sport with life, nor lightly to wring the widow's heart with sor- 
rows, and fill the orphan's eye with tears. 

" In accomplishing the object which is before me, it will not be expected, 
as it is not necessary, that I should give a history of duelling. You need 
not be informed that it originated in a dark and barbarous age. The 
polished Greek knew nothing of it — the noble Roman was above it. Rome 



6G 

lu'ld ill r.|ii;il (l<'1csl;ili(iii Ilir iiijiii who cxiidscd his lilV uuiU'ccssaril v, and 
him, who rcftisi'd t(t cxitosc it when the itulilic jj^ciod required it. Ilor 
lieroes were .superior to private eontcsts. Tliey indulj,'ed no veuK-'unce 
exei>i>l against tlie enemies of tlieir (•(.iiiili-y. 'I'heir swords were not 
drawn unless lier honour was in danger; w hicli honour they defendfd 
witli tiieir swords not only, l)ut sliielded willi tlieir bosoms also, aud were 
then prodigal of their blood. 

"But though Greece and Home knew nothing of duelling, it exists. It 
exists among us; and it exists at once the most rash, the most absurd and 
guilty practice that ever disgraced a Christian nation. 

" Guilty— because it is a violation of the \a.w. What lawV The Law of 
God. Thou Shalt not kill. This prohibition was delivered by God himself, 
at Sinai, to tlie Jews. And, that it is of universal and perpetual ol)liga- 
tion, is manifest from the nature of the crime prohibited not only, but also 
from the express declaration of the Christian Lawgivei-, Avho hatli recog- 
nized its justice, and added to it tlie sanctions of liis own authority. 

"'Thou Shalt not Ivill.' Who? Thou, creature. I, tlie Creator, have 
given life, and thou shalt not take it aAvaj'! When and under what cir- 
cumstances may I not take away life? 

" Never, and under no circumstances, without My permission. It is ob- 
vious, that no discretion whatever is here given. The prohibition is ad- 
dressed to every individual where the LaAv of God is promulgated, and tlie 
terms made use of are express and unequivocal. So tliat life can not be 
taken under any pretext, without incurring gnilt, unless by a permission 
sanctioned l)y tlie same authority wliich sanctions the general law pro- 
hibiting it. 

" From this law it is granted there are exceptions. The.se exceptions, 
however, do not result from any sovereignty wliicli one creature has ever 
the existence of anotlier, but from the positive appointment of tliat eter- 
nal Being, whose is the world and the fullness thereof. In whose hand is 
the soul of CA'ery living creature, and the Ijreatli of all mankind. 

" Even the authority which we claim over tlie lives of animals is not 
founded on a natural right, btit on a positive grant made by the Deity 
himself to Noah and his sons. This grant contains our warrant for taking 
the lives of animals. But if we may not take the lives of animals without 
permission from God, much less may we the life of man, made in his 
image. 

"In what cases, tlien, has the Sovereign of life given this permission? 
In rightful war — by the civil magistrate, and in necessary self-defence. 
Besides these, I do not hesitate to declare that, in the oracles of God, 
there are no other. 

"He, therefore, who takes life in any other case, under whatever pre- 
text, takes it unwarrantalily, is guilty of what the Scriptures call mur- 
der, and exposes liimself to tlie iiialediction of that God who is an 
avenger of blood, and Avho hath said. At the hand of every mcni's hrntlier 
irill I nuiilre the life of man. Whom shcddelh iiuin's blood, hy man shall his 
Mood be shed. 



G7 

"The duellist contravenes the law of Cod not only, but the law of 
man, also. To the prohibition of the former have been added the sanc- 
tions of the latter. Life taken in a duel, by the common law, is nuu'der. 
And where this is not the case, the giving and receiving of a challenge 
only is, by statute, considered a high misdemeanor, for which the princi- 
pal and his second are declared infamous, and disfranchised for twenty 
years. 

" Under what accumulated circumstances of aggravation does the duel- 
list jeopardize his own life, or take the life of his antagonist? 

" I am sensible that in a licentious age, and when laws are made to 
yield to the vices of those who move In the higher circles, this crime Is 
called by I know not what mild and accommodating name. But before 
these altars in this house of G'od, what is it? It is murder — deliberate, 
aggravated murder. 

" If the duellist deny this, let him produce his warrant from the Author 
of Life, for taking away from His creature the life which had been 
sovereignly given. If he can not do this, beyond all controversy, he is a 
murderer, for murder consists in taking away life without the permission, 
and contrary to the prohibition of Him who gave it. 

" Who is it, then, that calls the duellist to the dangerous and deadly 
combat? Is it God? No; on the contrary He forbids it. Is it, then, his 
country? No; she also utters her prohibitory voice. Who is it, then? A 
man of honour. And who is this man of honour? A man, perhaps, whose 
honour is a name — who prates with polluted bps about the saeredness of 
Character, when his own is stained with crimes, and needs but the single 
shade of murder to comiplete the dismal and sickly picture. 

" Every transgression of the Divine law implies great guilt, because It 
is the transgression of infinite authority. But the crime of deliberately 
and lightly taking life has peculiar aggravations. It is a crime com- 
mitted against the written law not only, but also against the dictates of 
reason, the remonstrances of conscience, and every tender and amiable 
feeling of the heart. 

" To the unfortunate sufferer, it is the wanton violation of his most 
sacred rights. It snatches him from his friends and his comforts; termi- 
nates his state of trial, and precipitates him, uncalled for and perhaps 
unprepared, into the presence of his Judge. 

" You will say the duellist feels no malice. Be it so. Malice, indeed, 
is murder in principle. But there may be murder in reason, and in fact, 
where there is no malice. Some other unwarrantable passion or principle 
may lead to the unlawful taking of hunuin life. 

" The highwayman, who cuts the throat and rifles the pocket of the 
passing traveller, feels no malice. And could he, with equal ease and no 
greater danger of detection, have secured his booty without taking life, 
he would have stayed his arm over the palpitating bosom of his victim, 
and let the plundered suppliant pass. 



68 

"Would till' iiiipulntioii of rowanlico have boon inovital»lo to the ducl- 
list, if a ohalU'UfXo had not boou ^ivou or accoptodV Tlio iniputalion of 
want had boon no loss inovitablo to tho robbor, if the monoy of the passing 
travoller had not boou soourod. 

"Would llio duellist have boon williiii,' to liavo sjiarod tho lifo of his 
anta^iinist. if the jiuinl (if hondur cdiilil ol licrwisc ha\'(' Ix-ou trained? So 
would the robbor, if tho point of pro]»ort.v oould have boon. Who can say 
that the motives of the one are not as urfiont as tho motives of the other? 
And tho means by which l)()th obtain tho object of their wishes are the 
same. 

"Thus, according to the dictates of reason, as well as tho law of God, 
the hitihwayman and the dut-llist stand on grctund o(iually untenable, and 
support their guilty havoc of the human race by arguments equally 
fallacious. 

" Is duelling guilty? So it is. 

" Absurd — it is absurd as a puuislinienl. for it admits of iiu pi-diKU'tion to 
crimes; and, besides, virtue and vice, guilt and innocence, are e(iually ox- 
posed by it to death or suffering. As a repai'ation, it is still more absurd, 
for it makes the injured liable to a still greater injury. And as the vindi- 
cation of personal character, it is absurd even beyond madness. 

" One man of honour, by some inadvertence, or perhaps with design, 
injures the sensil)ilities of another man of honour. In perfect character 
the injured gentleman resents it. He challenges the offender. The of- 
fender accepts the challenge. The time is fixed. The place is agreed 
upon. The circumstances, with an air of solemn mania, are arranged; 
and the principals, with their seconds and sui'geons, retire under the covert 
of some solitary hill, or upon the margin of some unfrequented beach, to 
settle this important question of honour, by stabbing or shooting at each 
other 

" One or the other, or both the parties, fall in this polite and gentle- 
manlike contest. And what does this prove? It proves that one or the 
other, or both of them, as the case may be, are marksmen. But it affords 
no evidence that either of them possesses honour, probity or talents. 

" It is true that he who falls in single combat has the honour of being 
mui'derod; and he who takes his life, the honour of a murderer. Besides 
this, I know not of any glory which can redound to the infatuated com- 
batants, except it be what results from having extended the circle of 
wretched widows, and added to the number of hapless oiiDhans. 

" And yet, terminate as it will, this frantic meeting, by a kind of magic 
influence, entirely varnishes over a defective and smutty character; trans- 
forms vice to virtue, cowardice to courage; makes falsehood truth; guilt, 
innocence. In one word, it gives a noAV complexion to the whole state of 
things. The Ethiopian changes his skin, the leopard his spot, and the de- 
bauched and treacherous — having shot away the infamy of a sorry life — 
comes back from the field of perfectibility quite I'ogenerated, and, in the 
fullest sense, an honourable man. He is now fit for the company of gen- 



69 

tlemen. He is admitted to tliat company, and sliould he again, by acts of 
vileness, stain tliis purity of character, so nobly acquired, and should any 
one have the affroutery to say ho has done so, again he stands ready to 
vindicate his honour, and by another act of homicide, to wipe away 
the stain which has been attached to it. 

" I might illustrate this article by example. I might produce instances 
of this mysterious transformation of character, in the sublime circles of 
moral refinement, furnished by the higher orders of the fashionable 
world, which the mere firing of pistols has produced. But the occasion is 
too awful for irony. 

" Absurd as duelling is, were it absurd only, though we might smile at 
the weakness and pity the folly of its abettors, there would be no occa- 
sion for seriously attacking them. But to what has been said, I add, 
that duelling is rash aud presumptuous. 

" Life is the gift of God, and it was never bestowed to be sported with. 
To each the Sovereign of the universe has marked out a sphere to move 
in, and assigned a part to act. This part respects ourselves not only, but 
others also. Bach lives for the benefit of all. 

" As in the system of nature the sun shines, not to display its own 
brightness and answer its own convenience, but to warm, enlighten and 
bless the world; so in the system of animated beings, there is a depend- 
ence, a correspondence, and a relation, through an infinitely extended, 
dying and reviving universe — in which no man liveth to himself, and no 
man dieth to ^himself. Friend is related to friend; the father to his 
family, the individual to community. To every member of which, having 
fixed his station and assigned his duty, the God of nature says, ' Keep 
this trust — defend this post.' For whom? For thy friends — thy family — 
thy country. Aud having received such a charge, aud for such a purpose, to 
desert it is rashness and temerity. 

Since the opinions of men are as they are. do you ask, how you shall 
avoid the imputation of cowardice, if you do not fight when you are 
injured? Ask your family how you will avoid the imputation of cruelty- 
ask your conscience how you will avoid the imputation of guilt — ask God 
how you will avoid his malediction, if you do. These are previous ques- 
tions. Let these first be answered, and it will be easy to reply to any 
which may follow them. 

" If you only accept a challenge when you believe in your conscience 
that duelling is wrong, you act the coward. The dastardly fear of the 
world governs you. Awed by its menaces, you conceal your sentiments, 
appear in disguise, and act in guilty conformity to principles not your 
own, and that. too. in the most solemn moment, and when engaged in an 
act which exposes you to death. 

"But if it be rashness to accei)t. liow passing rnslniess is it. in a 
sinner, to give a challenge? Does it become him. whose life is measured 
out by crimes, to be extreme to mark, and punctilious to resent, whatever 



70 

is.: niiiiss ill otlirrsV Must tlic iliicllisl. who imw disdMiiiiut;- lo I'driiivc. so 
iniiK'i'ioiisly (U'IiimimIs sMtisfjiclinu to ilic iittiTinost— imisl this man liiiii- 
si'lf, tiVMiililiii.i.' at tlic recollection of iiis olTeiices. presently appear a siip- 
l)liant licl'orr the merry seal of CodV Imagine this, and the ease is not 
ima.L:imii'y. and you can not coiireix-e an instance of ui'ealef inconsistency, 
or of more presumpl umis an'ouam-c. W'iiei'efore. a\'en.i,'e not .\dursel\'es, 
but rather ;;ive jplace unio wialii: for xeiiucance is mine. I will rejiay it, 
Baitli the Lor<l. 

"!►(> you ask. tiien. how you sliall c(mdnct lowai'ds your enemy who 
hath lightly done you wroiii:'.' If lie lie hnngry. feed him; il" naked, clotlio 
him; if thirsty, .Jjive liim diiid<. Sueli. had you preferred your question To 
Jesus Christ, is the answer lie liad yiven you. By observing which, yon 
TvlU usually subdue, and always act nu)re honourably than your enemy. 

"I feel, my brethren, as a minister of .lesns and a teacher of llis Gos- 
pel, a noble elevation on this article. 

"Compare the conduct of the Christian, acting in conformity to tlie 
principles of religion, and of the duellist, acting in conformity to the prin- 
ciples of honour, and let reason say which bears the marks of the most 
exalted greatness. Compare them, and let reason say which enjoys the 
most calm serenity of mind in time, and which is likely to receive the 
plaudit of his Judge in immortality. 

" God, from His throne, beholds not a nobler ob.iect on his footstool 
than the man who loves his enemies, pities their errors, and forgives the 
injuries they do him. This is indeed the very spirit of the Heavens. It 
Is the image of his benignity, whose glorj^ fills them. 

" To return to the subject before us— guilty, absurd and rash, as duel- 
ling is, it has its advocates. And had it not had its advocates — had not a 
strange preponderance of opinion been in favour of it, never. O lament- 
able Hamilton! hadst thou thus fallen, in the midst of thy days, and 
before thou hadst reached the zenith of thy glory! 

" O that I possessed the talent of eulogy, and that I might be permitted 
to indulge the tenderness of friendship in paying the last tribute to his 
memory! O that I were capable of placing this great man before you! 
Could I do this, I should furnish you with an argument, the most practical, 
the most plain, the most convincing, except that drawn from the nnindate 
of God, that was ever furnished against duelling, that horrid practice, 
which has in an awful nmment robbed the world of such exalted worth. 

" But I can not do tliis — I can only hint at the variety and exuberance 
of his excellence. 

" The man, on whom nature seems originally to have impressed the 
stamp of greatness — whose genius beamed from the retirement of col- 
legiate life, with a radiance which dazzled, and a loveliness which charmed 
the eve of sages. 



71 

" The hero, eaUed from his sequestci-od retreat, -u^hose first appearance 
in the field, though a stripling-, conciliatiMl the esteem of Washington, our 
good o\d father. Moving by whose side, during all the perils of the revo- 
lution, our young chieftain was a contributor to the veteran's glory, the 
guardian of liis person, and the eompartner of his toils. 

" The conqueror, who. sparing of human blood, when victory favoured, 
stayed the uplifted arm. and noljly said to the vanquislied enemy, ' Live!' 

" The statesman, the correctness of whose principles, and the strength 
of whose mind, are inscribed on the records of Congress, and on the 
annals of the council chamber; whose genius impressed itself upon the 
Constitution of Iiis country, and wliose memior.y, the government, illus- 
trious fabric, resting on this basis, will perpetuate while it lasts; and 
shalien by tlie violence of party, should it fall, which may Heaven avert, 
his prophetic declarations will lie found inscribed on its ruins. 

" The counsellor, who was at once tlie pride of the bar and the admira- 
tion of the court — whose apprehensions were quick as lightning, and 
whose development of truth was luminous as its patli— whose argument 
no change of circumstances could embarrass — whose knowledge appeared 
intuitive; and who by a single glance, and with as much facility as the 
eye of the eagle passes over the landscape, surveyed the whole field of 
controversy — saw in what way truth might be most successfully defended, 
and how error must be approached. And who, without ever stopping, 
ever hesitating, by a rapid and manly march, led the listening judge and 
the fascinated juror, step by step, tlirough a deliglitsome region, bright- 
ening as he advanced, till his argument rose to demonstration, and elo- 
quence was rendered useless by conviction. 

" Whose talents were employed on the side of righteousness — whose 
voice, whether in the council chamber, or at the bar of justice, was vir- 
tue's consolation— at whose approach oppressed humanity felt a secret 
rapture, and the heart of injured innocence leapt for joy. 

" Where Hamilton was — in whatever sphere he moved— the friendless 
had a friend, the fatherless a father, and the poor man, though unable to 
reward his kindness, found an advocate^. It was when the rich oppressed 
the poor — when the powerful menaced the defenceless— when truth was 
disregarded, or the eternal principles of justice violated— it was on these 
occasions that he exerted all his streugtii— it was on these occasions that 
he sometimes soared so high and shone with a radiance so transcendant. 
I had almost said, so ' Heavenly, as filled those around liim with awe, 
and gave to him the force and authority of a prophet.' 

" The patriot, whose integrity bafiled the scrutiny of inquisition- whose 
manly virtue never shaped itself to circumstances— who. always great, 
always himself, stood amidst the varying tides of party, firm, like the 
rock, which, far from land, lifts its majestic top above the waves, and 
remains unshaken by the storms which agitate the ocean. 

" The friend, who knew no guile— whose bosom was transparent and 



72 

deep; in the bottoin nf wlinso hoart was rooted every tender and sympa- 
thetic virtue — whoso various worlii opposiup parties acknowledged while 
alive, and on whoso tomb thoy unKo, wit'h o(iual sympathy and grief, to 
heap thoir lionours. 

"I know ho had his failings. I seo on the picture of his life, a picture 
rendered awful by greatness, and luminous by virtue, some dark shades. 
On these lot tho tear that pitios huujan weakness fall; on these let the 
veil which covers human frailty rest. As a hero, as a statesman, as a 
patriot, he lived nobly; and would to God I could add, he nobly fell. 

" Unwilling to admit his error in this respect, I go back to the period 
of discussion. I see him resisting the threatened interview. I imagine 
myself present in his chamber. Various reasons, for a time, seem to hold 
his determination in arrest. Various and moving objects pass before him, 
and speak a dissuasive language. 

" His country, which may need his counsels to guide, and his arm to 
defend, utters her veto. The partner of his youth, already covered with 
weeds, and whose tears flow down into her bosom, intorcodes! His babes, 
stretching out thoir little hands and pointing to a weeping mother, v/ith 
lisping eloquence, but eloquence which reaches a parent's heart, cry out, 
' Stay— stay— dear papa, and live for us!' Tn the meantime the spectre of 
a fallen son, palo and ghastly, approaches, opens his bleeding bosom, 
and as tho harl)ingor of death, points to tho yawning tomb, and warns a 
hesitating father of the issue! 

" He pauses. Reviews these sad objects, and reasons on the subject. 1 
admire his magnanimity. I approve his reasoning, and I wait to hear 
him reject with indignation the murderous proposition, and to see him 
spurn from his presence the presumptuous bearer of it. 

" But I wait in vain. It was a moment in which his great wisdom for- 
sook him. A moment in which Hamilton was not himself. 

" He yielded to the force of an imperious custom. And yielding, he 
sacrificed a life in which all had an interest— and he is lost — lost to his 
country — lost to his family — lost to us. 

" For this act. because he disclaimed it, and was penitent, I foi'give him. 
But there are those whom I can not forgive. 

" I mean not his antagonist; over whose erring steps, if there be tears 
In Heaven, a pious mother looks down and weeps. If he be capable of 
feeling, he suffers already all that humanity can suffer. Suffers, and 
wherever he may fly, will suffer, with a poignant recollection of having 
taken the life of one wlio was too magnanimous in return to attempt his 
own. Had he have known this, it must have paralyzed his arm, while it 
pointed at so incorruptible a bosom, the instrument of death. Does he 
know this now? His hoart. if it be not adamant, must soften — if it be 
not ice, it must melt. But on this article I forbear. Stained with blood 
as ho is, if he be penitent, I forgive him — and if he be not, before these 
altars, whore all of us appear as suppliants, I wish not to excite your 



73 

vengoanco, but rather, in behalf of an object rendered wretched and 
pitiable by crime, to wake your prayers. 

" But I have said, and I repeat it, there are those whom I can not 
forgive. 

" I can not forgive that minister at the altar who has hitherto forborn 
to remonstrate on this subject. I can not forgive that public prosecutor, 
who, intrusted with the duty of avenging his country's wrongs, has seen 
those wrongs, and taken no measures to avenge them. I can not foi'give 
that Judge upon the bench, or that Governor in the chair of state, who has 
lightly passed over such offences. I can not foi'give the public, in whose 
opinion the duellist finds a sanctuary. I can not forgive you, my breth- 
ren, who, till this late hour, have been silent, while successive miu'ders 
were committed. No; I can not forgive you, that you have not, in com- 
mon with the freemen of this State, raised your voice to the powers that 
be, and loudly and explicitly demanded an execution of your laws. De 
manded this in a manner which, if it did not reach the ear of government, 
would at least have reached the Heavens, and plead your excuse before 
the God that filleth them — in whose presence, as I stand, I should not feel 
myself innocent of the blood that crieth against us, had I been silent. 
But I have not been silent. Many of you who hear me are my witnesses 
— the walls of yonder temple, where I have heretofore addressed you. are 
my witnesses, how freely I have animadverted on this subject, in the pres- 
ence both of those who have violated the laws, and of those whose indis- 
pensable duty it is to see the laws executed on those who violate them. 

" I enjoy another opportunity; and would to God, I might be permitted 
to approach for once the late scene of death. Would to God I could there 
assemble on the one side the disconsolate mother with her seven fatherless 
children, and on the other, those who administer the justice of my country. 
Could I do this, I would point them to these sad objects. I would entreat 
them, by the agonies of bereaved fondness, to listen to the widow's heart- 
felt groans; to mark the orphans' sighs and tears. And having done this, 
I would uncover the breathless corpse of Hamilton — I would lift from his 
gaping wound, his bloody mantle — I would hold it up to Heaven before 
them, and I would ask, in the name of God, I would ask, whether at the 
sight of it they felt no compunction ? 

" You will ask, perhaps, what can be done, to arrest the progress of a 
practice which has yet so many advocates? I answer, nothing — if it be 
the deliberate intention to do nothing. But if otherwise, much is within 
our power. 

" Let, then, the Governor see that the laws are executed; let the council 
displace the man who offends against their majesty; let courts of justice 
frown from their bar, as unworthy to appear before them, the murderer 
and his accomplices; let the people declare him unworthy of their confi- 
dence who engages in such sanguinary contests; let this be done, and 
should life still be taken in single combat, then the Governor, the council, 
the court, the people, looking up to the Avenger of sin, may say, ' We are 
innocent — we are innocent.' 



74 

" D.t you ;isU Imw prnoC (•an 1 lilaiiici! V Ilnw can it be avoi(lo<lV The 

pnrtirs return. IkiIiI up bi'l'iirr nur eyes tin- insi i-uuicuts of death, ])ublish 
lo tlie world ilie cii'runistauees of llirii' i u I (TV iew, and even, with an air 
of iu.-^jultiu.u' iriuiiipli. lioasl how coolly .-ind deliheralely they iirocceded 
in viohaliiiti- one of the most sacfed laws of eaiMh and II<'avenl 

"Aill.ve tfJI.uic shofes of ilohokeU. cfilnsiUUMl willl the fichest hlood. I 
treiulile at the ( riiues yiui feeoi-d a;:aiiisl us -the animal feuister of innr- 
i\^-vs which you keep and send up to <;odI Place of inhuman eiandly. be- 
yond the Hunts of reason, of duty, and of relif^ion, wheiy man assumes 
a more bai'l)arons nature, and coasos lo bo man. What poignant, lingering 
sorrows do thy lawh'ss oond)ats oeeasion to surviving relatives! 

"Ye who liavo liearts of pity — ye who have experienced tlie anguish 
of dissolving friendsliip — who have wept', and still weep, over tlie moulder- 
ing ruins of departed kindred, ye can enter into this reflection. 

" () thou disconsolate widow! Kobbed, so cruelly robbed, and in so 
short a time, both of a husband and .a sou. wlint must be the plentitude 
of thy sufferings! (*(Uild we approach thee, gladly would we drop the 
tear of sympatby, and pour into thy bleeding bosom the balm of consola- 
tion! But how could we comfort her whom God hath not comforted? 
To his throne, let us lift iip ovu' voice and weep. O God! if Thou art still 
the widow's husband, and the father of the fatherless — if in the fulness of 
Thy goodness there be yet mercies in store for miserable mortals, pity, O 
pity this afflicted mother, and grant that her hapless orphans may liud a 
friend, a benefactor, a father, in Thee! 

"On this article I have done: and may God add his blessing. 

" But I have still a claim upon your patience. I can uot here repress 
my feelings, and thus let pass the present opportunity. 

"How are the mighty fallen! And, regardless as we are of vulgar 
deaths, shall not the fall of the mighty affect us? 

" A short time since, and he who is the occasion of our sorrows was 
the ornament of his country. He stood on an eminence, and gloiy cov- 
ei-ed him. From that eminence he has fallen — suddenly, forever, fallen. 
His intercourse with the living world is now ended; and those who would 
hereafter find him, must seek him in the grave. There, cold and lifeless, 
is the heart which just now was tlae seat of friendship. There, dim and 
sightless is the eye, whose radiant and enlivening orb beamed with intel- 
ligence; and there, closed for ever, are those lips, on whose persuasive 
accents we have so often, and so lately, hung with transport! 

" From the darkness which rests upon his tomb, there proceeds, me- 
thinks, a light in which it is clearly seen that those gaudy objects which 
men pursue are only phantoms. In this light how dimly shines the splen- 
dour of victor.v— how humble appears the majesty of grandeur! The 
bubble which seemed to have so much solidity, has burst; and we again 
see that all below the sun is vanity. 

"True, the funeral eulogy has been pronounced; the sad and solemn 
procession has moved; the badge of mourning has already been decreed, 



75 

and presently the sculptured marble will lift up its front, proud to per- 
petuate the name of Hamilton, and rehearse to the passing traveller his 
Airtues. 

"Just tributes of respect! And to the living useful. But to him, 
mouldering in his narrow and liuinl)le habitation, what are tliey? How 
vain! how unavailing! 

" Approach, and behold — while I lift from his sepulchre its covering! 
Ye admirers of liis greatness; ye emulous of his talents and his fame, 
approach, and lieliold him now. How pale! How silent! No martial 
bands admire the adroitness of his movements. No fascinated throng 
weep — and melt — and tremble, at his eloquence! Amazing change! A 
shroud! a cothn! a narrow subterraneous cabin! This is all that now 
remains of Hamilton! And is this all that remains of him? During a life 
so transitory, what lasting monument, then, can our fondest hopes erectV 

" My l)rethren, we stand on the borders of an awful gulf, which is 
swallowing iip all things human. And is there, amidst this universal 
wreck, nothing stable, nothing abiding, nothing immortal, on which poor, 
frail, dying man, can fasten? 

" Ask the hero, ask the statesman, whose wisdom you have lieen accus- 
tomed to revere, and he will tell you. He will tell you, did I say? He has 
ah'eady told you, from his death-bed, and his illumined spirit still whispers 
from the Heavens, with well-known eloquence, the solemn admonition: 

" ' Mortals! hastening to the tomb, and once the companions of my pil- 
grimage, take warning and avoid my errors. Cultivate the virtues I have 
recommended. Choose the Saviour I liave chosen. Live disinterestedly. 
Live for im^mortality, and would you rescue anything from final dissolu- 
tion, lay it up in God.' 

" Thus speaks, methinks, our deceased benefactor, and thus he acted 
during his last sad hours. To the exclusion of every other concern, reli- 
gion now claims all his thoughts. 

"Jesus! Jesus! is now his only hope. The friends of Jesus are his 
friends — the ministers of the altar his companions. While these Intercede, 
he listens in awful silence, or in profound submission whispers his assent. 

" Sensible, deeply sensible, of his sins, he pleads no merit of his own. 
He I'epairs to the mercy seat, and there pours out his penitential sorrows — 
there he solicits pardon. 

" Heaven, it should seem, heard and pitied the suppliant's cries. Dis- 
burdened of his sorrows, and looking up to God, he exclaims, ' Grace rich 

grace.' ' I have.' said he, clasping his dying hands, and with a faltering 
tongue, ' I have a tender reliance on the mercy of God in Christ." In token 
of this reliance, and as an expression of his faith, he receives the holy 
sacrament; and having done this, his mind becomes tranquil and serene. 
Thus he remains, thoughtful indeed, but unruffled to the last, and meets 
death with an air of dignified composure, and with an eye directed to the 
Heavens. 

" This last act. more than any other, sheds glory on his character. 
Every thing else death effaces. Religion afone abides with him on his 



76 

(li'Mtli-hcd. lie (lies !i ( "lirist i;in. Tliis is ;ill wiiicli fan Itc ciirdllcd of 
liiiii aiiiiin;;' tln' aidiivcs ul" clciiiity. 'I'liis is all thai can make his name 
great in Heaven. 

"Let not the snoorlng infulel i)ersna(le ynn lliat this last act of homage 
to tlio Saviour ro.snlted from an enfeeMed state of mental faculties, or 
from iiertnrbatiori occasioned by the near approach of death. No; his 
opinions concerninjE: the Divine Mission of Jesus Christ, and the validity 
of the Holy Scriptures had lou}; been settled, and settled after lalxirious 
investisalion and extensive and deep research. These opinions were not 
concealed. I l<new tlieiii inyself. Some of you who hear me knew them; 
and had his life been si)anMl, it was liis deleniiiiiation to liave ]niblished 
them to the world, tojictlier witli the facts and reasons on which they 
were foundcMl. 

" At a time wluni skepticism, shallow and superficial indeed, but de- 
praved and malignant, is breathing forth its pestilential vapour, and pol- 
luting by its unhallowed touch every tiling divine and sacred, it Is consol- 
ing to a devout mind to reflect that the great, and the wise, and the good 
of all ages; those superior geniuses, whose splendid talents have elevated 
them almost above mortality, and placed tliem next in order to angelic 
natures — yes, it is consoling to a devout mind to reflect that while dwarf- 
ish infidelity lifts up its deformed head, and mocks, these illustrious per- 
sonages, though living iu different ages — inhabiting different countries — 
nurtured in ditferent schools — destined to different pursuits — and differing 
on various subjects — should all. as if touched with an impulse from 
Heaven, agree to vindicate tlie sacredness of Revelation, and present with 
one accord their learning, tlieir talents and their virtue, on the Gospel 
Altar, as an offering to Emanuel. 

" This is not exaggeration. "Who was it that, overleaping the narrow 
bounds which had hitherto been set to the human mind, ranged abroad 
through the immensity of space, discovered and illustrated those laws by 
whicli the Deity unites, liinds and governs all things? Who was it, soaring 
into the sublime of astronomic science, numbered the stars of Heaven, meas- 
ured their spheres, and called them by their names? It was Newton. But 
Newton was a Christian. Newton, great as he was, received instruction 
from the lips, and laid his honours at the feet of Jesus. 

" Who was it that developed the hidden combination, tihe component 
parts of bodies? Who was it dissected the animal, examined the flower, 
penetrated the earth, and ranged the extent of organic nature? It was 
Boyle. But Bojde was a Christian. 

"Who was it that lifted the veil which had for ages covered the intel- 
lectual world, analyzed the human mind, defined its powers and reduced 
its operations to certain and fixed laws? It was Locke. But Lock(> too 
was a Christian. 

"What more shall I say? For time would fail me to speak of Hale, 
learned in the law; of Addison, admired in the schools; of Milton, cele- 
brated among the poets; and of Washington, immortal in the field and the 



ca'oinet. To tins catalogue of professing Christians, from among, if I may 
speali so, a higher order of beings, may now be added the name of Alex- 
ander Hamilton. A name which raises in the mind the idea of whatever 
is great, whatever is splendid, whatever is illustrious in human nature; 
and which is now added to a catalogue which might be lengthened — and 
lengthened — and lengthened, with the names of illustrious characters, 
whose lives have blessed society, and whose works form a column high 
as Heaven — a column of learning, of wisdom, and of greatness, which will 
stand to future ages, an eternal monument of the transeendant talents of 
the advocates of Ohristianity, when every fugitive leaf, from the pen of 
the canting infidel witlings of the day, shall be swept by the tide of time 
from the annals of the world, and buried with the names of their authors 
In oblivion. 

"To conclude. How are the mighty fallen? Fallen before the desolat- 
ing hand of death. Alas! the ruins of the tomb. The ruins of the tomb 
are an emblem of the ruins of the world. When not an individual, but 
an universe, already marred by sin and hasteniugto dissolution, shall agonize 
and die! Dii'ecting your thoughts from the one, fix them for a moment on 
the other. Anticipate the concluding scene, the final catastrophe of nature; 
when the sign of the Son of Man shall be seen in Heaven; when the 
Son of Man himself shall appear in the glory of his Father, and send 
forth judgment unto victory. The fiery desolation envelopes towns, 
palaces and fortresses; the Heavens pass away! The earth melts! and all 
those magnificent productions of art, which ages, heaped on ages, liave 
reared up, are in one awful day reduced to ashes! 

" Against the ruins of that day, as well as the ruins of the tomb which 
precede it, the gospel, in the cross of its great High Priest, offers you all 
a sanctuary; a sanctuary secure and abiding; a sanctuary which no lapse 
of time, nor change of circumstances, can destroy. No; neither life nor 
death. No; neither principalities nor powers. 

" Everything else is fugitive, everything else is mutable; everything else 
will fail you. But this, the citadel of the Christian's hopes, will never 
fail you. Its base is adamant. It is cemented with the i-ichest blood. 
Tlie ransomed of the Lord crowd its portals. Enbosomed in the dust 
which it incloses, the bodies of the redeemed ' rest in hope.' On its top 
dwells the Church of the First Born, who in delightful response with the 
angels of light, chant redeeming love. Against this citadel the tempest 
beats, and around it the storm rages, and spends its force in vain. Im- 
mortal in its nature, and incapable of change, it stands, and stands firm, 
amidst the ruins of a mouldering world, and endures forever. 

"Thither fly, ye prisoners of hope— that when earth, air, elements, 
shall have passed away, secure of existence and felicity, you may join 
with saints in glory, to perpetuate the song which lingered on tlie falter- 
ing tongue of Hamilton, ' Grace — rich grace.' 

" God grant us this honor. Then shall the measure of our joy be full, 
and to his name shall be the glory in Christ. Amen." 



78 

IXuti' 10.] 
THE DRUM BALLAD. 

TluMH' liMS h(><'ii iinicli discussion .-is In the rcMl song suuk li.v llaiiiilhtu 
on rtiis occ.-ision. .Most, if iiol nil of his liiom-;ipln'r,s stntc that lie sang 
'• Tlu' Drum," hut tlicy glvt' neither tuni' nor text. (George AU'reil Town- 
send ((iath), in one of his romances, gives a version of "The Drum," and 
styles it •'Hamilton's old rcvolul i(uiary air." Having my doubts as to 
whether Ilanuiton eould have sung this song on such an occasion, I began 
an investigation for the i)uri)ose of asct-rtaining the real facts of the case. 
I am assured, in a letter from ^lajor-dJeneral Schuyler Hamilton, a grand- 
son of Alexander Hamilton, tliat the true text of " The Drum," sui>itosed to 
have bi'en sung by Hanulton, is to be found in tlu' works of Robert Burns, in 
his cantata, " The .lolly Heggars;" alsoi that the ixirticithir soikj of the 
evening was not " The Drum " at all, but General Wolff's famous camp 
song, beginning with the words '* How stands the glass around?" 

I annex General Hamilton's letter, and also a copj' of this song: 

Hotel Savoy, Jan. 4, 1897. 

My Dear Sir. — Your courteous note is just received. I have always 
been of the opinion, from what I have heard from my father and uncl(>s, 
that the song sung by my grandfather at the dinner of the Cinchmatl, 
where Colonel Burr was present, was General Wolff's famous camp song, 
which begins with the words " How stands the glass around?" I enclose 
you a copy of it. Colonel Burr was seated on the left of General Hamilton 
at this dinner. The single thing which aroused him was the song of 
Hamilton. He raised his head and placed himself in a posture of atten- 
tion. My informants told me, and they had it from their fathers, who 
were present, it was the song, " How stands the glass around?" • — as well 
It might, which aroused Biu-r's attention. 

Mr. Edmund Diucolu Bayliss, a grandson of General Lincoln, of revolu- 
tionary fame, told me the song sung on that occasion was Wolff's song, 
and scouted the idea of General Hamilton singing, before the Cincinnati, 
" The Drum," which, he said, was a common tavern ballad. 

" The Di'um," to which I suppose you refer, was a favorite camp song 

in both the British and Continental armies. It appears as part of " The 

Jolly Beggars," in Robert Burns' works, and begins, " I am a son of Mars;" 

tune, " Soldiers' Joy." It is like many of the camp songs of that day — 

un-nice, and, with a duel before liim in a few days, it is altogether out of 

keeping with my grandfather's cliaracter for him to have sung it. Colonel 

Burr being at his side. 

Very truly yours, 

SCHUYLER HAMILTON. 
Ma.ior-General Volunteers. I'. S. A. 
James Edward Graybill, Esq., 229 Broadway, City. 



79 



HOW STANDS THE GLASS AROUND. 

(Tuns — "The Mother's Lament.") 

How stands the glass around? 
For shame ye take no eare, my boys; 

How stands the glass around? 

Let mirth and wine abound, 

The trumpets sound, 
The colours they are flying, boys; 

To figlit, kill or wound, 

May we still be found; 
Content with our hard fare, my boys. 

On the cold ground. 

Why, soldiers, why. 
Should we be melancholy, boys? 

Why, solders, why? 

Whose business 'tis to die. 

What sighing? Fie! 
Don't fear, drink on, be jolly, boys! 

'Tis he, you or I! 

Cold, hot, Avet or dry, 
We're always bound to follow, boys, 

And some to fly. 

'Tis but in vain — 
I mean not to upbraid you, boys — 

'Tis but in vain 

For soldiers to complain: 

Should next campaign 
Send us to Him who made us, boys. 

We're free from pain: 

But if we remain, 

A bottle and a kind landlady 

Cure all again. 

— Anonymous 



[Note 11.] 
FUNERAL OBSEQUIES. 

" On Saturday. .July 14, 1804, tlie rt>mains of Alexander Hamilton were 
committed to the grave, with every possible testimony of respect and 
sorrow. 

" The military, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Morton, were 
drawn up in front of Mr. Church's house, in Robinson street (now north- 
east corner of Church street and Park place). On the appearance of the 
corpse it was received by the whole line with presented arms and saluted 
by the officers; melancholy music by a large and elegant band. 



80 

"At 12 o'chtck the inoccssioii iimvrd in ilir follow iiii;- order. :ii-oiiihI tin 
City Ilall park, throu;:h Ik'cknuiii, I'carl and Wliitcliall streets, aiul \v 
Brttadway to the (Trinity) cliurcli. 'I'lie artillery. Sixth HeKinient 
Militia, Sooioty of the Cincinnati, elerjjy, corpse, pall-bearers and (lanki 
companies; the General's horse, approi>riately dressed; family and rci 
tives; physicians; (Jonverneur Moi-ris, the funeral o)-atoi-. in his carriage, 
the bar, iu deep mourning; the Lieutemiut-(Joveruor of the State, in his 
carriage; corporation of the city of New York; resident agents of foreign 
poAA'ers; officers of our army and navy; militaiy and naval officers of 
foreign powers; militia officers of the State; various officers of the respec- 
tive banks; Chamber of Commerce and mcrcliants; port wardens and mas- 
ters of vessels in the harbor; president, professors and students of Colum- 
bia College, in mourning gowns; St. Andrew's Society; Meclianic Society; 
Marine Society; citizens genei-ally. 

" The pall-bearers were (General Matthew Clarkson, Oliver Wolcott, Esq., 
Richard Harrison, Esq., Abijah Hammond, Esq., Josiali Ogden Hoffman, 
Esq., Richard Varick, Esq., William Bayard, Esq., and His Honor, Judge 
Lawrence. On the coffin was the General's hat and sword; his boots and 
spurs reversed across the horse. His grey horse, dressed in mourning, 
Avas led by two black servants, dressed in white, and white turbans 
trimmed with black. The streets were lined witli people; doors and win- 
dows were filled, and even the liousetops were covered with spectators, 
who came from all parts to behold the melancholy procession. When the 
military escort reached the (Trinity) church it formed a lane, through 
A\'liicli the corpse was borne to the church, preceded by the clergy and 
followed by the Society of the Cincinnati, the relatives of deceased and 
different public bodies. 

" On the stage, erected in the portico of Trinity Church. :Mr. Gouverneur 
Morris, having four of General Hamilton's sons, the eldest about sixteen 
and the youngest about six years of age, with him, rose and delivered to 
tlie immense concourse in front an extemporary oration, after which 
tlie coii:>se Avas carried to the grave, where the tisual funeral service Avas 
performed liy the Rev. Bishop Moore. The troops formed a hollow square 
and terminated the solemnities AA'ith three volleys over the grave. 

" During the procession there was a regular discharge of minute guns 
from the battery. The different merchant vessels in the harbour wore 
their colours half mast both this and the preceding day. His Britannic 
Majesty's ship-of-AA'ar Boston, Captain Douglass, at anchor Avithin the 
Hook, appeared in mourning the AA'hole morning, and at 10 o'clock she 
commenced firing mintite guns. Avhieh were continued forty-eight minutes. 
His Majesty's packet. Lord Charles Spencer, Captain Cotesworth. also Avas 
in mourning, and fired an equal number of guns. The French frigaios 
Cybelle and Didon, were also put into full mourning, both this and the 
preceding day, with yards peeked; they also fired minute guns during tlie 
procession. 

" These marks of attention Avill be gratefully received by our felloAv- 
citizens. as evidence how highly the deceased Avas respected and esteemed 
by the French and English officers."— Coleman's Collection, pp. 39-46. 



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